Nestle has launched the world’s first free, mobile application for iPhone and Android devices to help people recycle waste packaging correctly. The 123Recycle application – currently only available in Singapore – scans a product’s barcode to provide information on how to sort and dispose of the different parts of its packaging.
Developed by Nestle Singapore in collaboration with the Nanyang Polytechnic School of Information Technology, it can be used with both Nestle and non-Nestle products.
It is being supported by the Singaporean Government’s National Environment Agency, and non-government organisations the Singapore Environment Council and the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore.
When used with a Nestle product, the app gives exact instructions on how to sort and dispose of each part of its packaging.
For Maggi brand tomato sauce for example, it advises users to put the product’s bottle and label in the green recycling bin for glass and its metal screw cap in the yellow bin for metal and aluminium.
For non-Nestle products, it offers generic recycling instructions about specific packaging materials.