How to evaluate a reverse vending machine pilot

A reverse vending machine (RVM) pilot tests whether people can return eligible containers and whether the site can keep the return point working and hand collected material to its receiver. Before expanding, review three things together: how many return attempts succeeded, how much of the scheduled service time the machine was usable, and whether the collected material can be traced through handover.

What should you measure in an RVM pilot?

• Acceptance rate: Divide confirmed accepted items by observed item attempts in the same sample. Count each insertion attempt once; if someone retries the same container, record it as a new attempt and label it as a retry. Use the same observation method across sites. If logs only capture accepted items, sample attempts on site before reporting a rate.
• Service availability: Divide usable minutes by scheduled service minutes. Record when a full bin, equipment fault, or other interruption prevents normal returns. If the start time is unknown, record that gap rather than guessing.
• Collection handover: Record the machine, material stream, collection window, handover reference and receiver. Keep item counts and weights in separate fields. A receiver’s weight ticket cannot confirm an exact item count.

For example, 90 accepted items in 120 observed attempts gives a 75% acceptance rate for that sample. That number alone does not show whether the other attempts involved ineligible packaging, damaged labels, repeated attempts or a machine issue. Log the reason when it is known and retain an “unknown” category. These figures are illustrative; set the pilot’s decision criteria before collecting data.

How do you reconcile the machine record with collection?

Start with one machine, one material stream and one collection window. Record whether the bin already held material at the start and whether any remained at the end. Link the collection record to the receiver’s receipt when available. If the windows or units differ, flag the records as incomparable until the operator can account for the difference.

Keep machine acceptance separate from downstream recovery. An accepted event describes what happened at the machine. A handover record describes what was transferred; a claim about what was ultimately recycled needs evidence from downstream.

When is the pilot ready to expand?

Review the results with the site operator and collection partner. Give each recurring rejection, interruption or handover gap an owner and a follow-up date. If a fix changes the accepted packaging list, signage or collection schedule, repeat the same observation window where practical and compare results using the same definitions. Expand when the evidence meets the agreed criteria and the receiving site can support the same operating routine.

Use the RVM site survey guide to plan the location and collection route, and the guide to recognition and acceptance to define what counts as a confirmed machine event.