Trovr, the recycling technology company behind the TrovrQUBE, has installed a unit at Reading College and University Centre – the first educational establishment in the UK to deploy the TrovrQUBE.
The installation forms part of Reading College and University Centre’s goal to champion sustainability across the Activate Learning group and familiarise students with the UK’s upcoming Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) ahead of its launch on 1st October 2027.
When DRS launches, any retailer selling drinks in PET plastic bottles or aluminium cans will be required to add a 20p deposit to the price of each item at the till.
Customers pay this upfront and reclaim it by returning the empty container to a registered return point, where it is scanned and verified against a national DRS database. The scheme is legally mandated – retailers who fail to participate face potential fines.
While DRS is not yet live, the TrovrQUBE at Reading College and University Centre lets students begin returning empty bottles and cans now. They receive a printed receipt in exchange – symbolic at this stage, as deposits are not yet redeemable, but designed to build the habit and familiarity that will matter when the scheme launches.
The TrovrQUBE is a semi-automated, self-service unit: students deposit their own containers, while the machine automatically scans each barcode, verifies eligibility, identifies the material type, and stores the container securely – with no staff handling required at any point. The data captured allows the college to track recycling activity, measure return rates against containers sold on site, and calculate estimated CO2 savings.
Nick Yeatman, chief executive and founder of Trovr, said: “DRS will be one of the most significant behavioural changes asked of UK consumers in a generation, and the habits people form now will determine how successful the scheme is at launch.
“Getting students recycling through a TrovrQUBE today means they’ll arrive at 2027 already knowing exactly what to do. But this isn’t just about compliance – colleges can earn from handling fees, build community engagement, and become part of the national recycling infrastructure. This is about turning a looming regulatory shift into something genuinely positive.”
Colleges are not mandated to become DRS return points, but they can register as voluntary return points once the scheme goes live.
Exchange for Change, the industry-led organisation responsible for delivering DRS across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, has confirmed that return point operators will earn 3p per container…
Source: packagingnews.co.uk
