World Wisdom: Bin It

A newly updated game app for plastics recycling now rewards players with real world products for virtual plastics recycling. Plastics Make it Possible®, the creator of the popular Bin It! 2.0 app, has teamed up with Earth911, host of the nation’s largest recycling directory, and Recyclebank®, the company that rewards people’s everyday green activities with discounts and deals from local and national businesses, to encourage consumers to recycle more. Now, anyone who recycles virtual plastic bottles on the Bin It! 2.0 app can win real world rewards from Recyclebank, such as clothing, food, and beauty supplies.

Bin It! 2.0 is a fun and addictive game that challenges consumers to recycle common household plastics.  The recently updated and expanded mobile app now includes a wider array of everyday plastics: water bottles, shampoo bottles and milk jugs. Players try to toss virtual plastics into a recycling bin while dodging obstacles such as animals and tricky breezes.  

Recyclebank points accumulate with every plastic item that makes it into the bin. During the eight-week partnership, each player can earn up to 65 points, redeemable for savings on products from Recyclebank’s hundreds of reward partners in more than 10 categories, including food and beverage, health, beauty, and home.

Recycled plastics today are being used to make a wide variety of useful products, from T-shirts to garden planters to furniture. New technologies allow recycling centers to process a broader range of plastics than ever before, which creates a growing amount of recycled plastics for making new consumer goods. These sustainable plastic products help divert valuable materials from landfills, thus closing the recycling loop.

“Recyclebank realizes that to make a measurable environmental impact, we need to motivate millions to act in ways that create a more sustainable future,” said Ali C. Mirian, Recyclebank Ecosystem general manager. 

“Recycling can be fun and rewarding, and we hope Bin It! 2.0 will inspire users to remember to take the same steps in their everyday lives,” said Raquel Fagan, vice president of media for Earth911. “Recycling every possible piece of plastic needs to be the norm, and there’s nothing like an addictive game to help you remember the recycling bin each time you’re done using these materials – at home or on-the-go.

Visit Earth911.com to learn more about specific recycling programs in your area and to access its comprehensive recycling directory with information on how and where to recycle a variety of different products. In addition to plastic beverage bottles (and caps), many recycling programs also collect plastic containers and lids, such as those from cottage cheese, yogurt, or margarine. It’s also easier than ever to recycle plastic bags and wraps, which are accepted for recycling at more than 12,000 grocery and retail store locations nationwide. 

The Bin It! 2.0 app can be downloaded free for iPhone, iPod, and iPad through the iTunes app store.