Recycling Zone
Recycling is really developed in Germany, almost every type of bottle and container can be recycled and there is a very good system for doing so. Here is a view into a recycling machine which recycles cola, beer and milk bottles and credits back the Pfand (or deposit) to the consumer. You slide the bottle on the conveyor belt, then the belt catches the bottle and spins it while a blue laser light (which is on in this picture) flashes and reads the UPC code. That way it knows the proper amount of the Pfand and also the brand name of the soda or beer the bottle belongs to. Then the bottle slides further along the belt where it is sorted and at the end, the consumer is given a voucher for all the deposits which they can then trade in for cash.
Recycling Zone
Recycling is really developed in Germany, almost every type of bottle and container can be recycled and there is a very good system for doing so. Here is a view into a recycling machine which recycles cola, beer and milk bottles and credits back the Pfand (or deposit) to the consumer. You slide the bottle on the conveyor belt, then the belt catches the bottle and spins it while a blue laser light (which is on in this picture) flashes and reads the UPC code. That way it knows the proper amount of the Pfand and also the brand name of the soda or beer the bottle belongs to. Then the bottle slides further along the belt where it is sorted and at the end, the consumer is given a voucher for all the deposits which they can then trade in for cash.