Junker app: Recycling is just a click away
Waste management is complex. People aren't sure how to sort packaging materials correctly and this can affect the quality of separate waste collection. And of course, proper waste separation is crucial for getting better quality secondary raw materials which are vital for EU countries.
The Junker app is a perfect solution: users see how to sort all types of packaging correctly just by scanning the product’s barcode or taking a photo if there isn't a barcode. The app identifies the product and provides information for disposal which is in line with local rules on waste sorting. The app tells users what the product is made of and which bin they should put it in, as well as providing schedules for door-to-door collection and maps of collection, reuse and sharing points.
Municipalities and waste disposal companies can join Junker by paying an annual fee, enabling individuals to download and use it free of charge. The social, economic and environmental benefits are obvious: people stop making mistakes when they sort waste, the quality of separate waste collection goes up, and the negative impact on the environment goes down.
The app is available in Italy and has been translated into 13 languages, so that even tourists and foreign workers can use it. Users just need to change their location in order to get the updated information for their current location.
- The Junker app identifies over 2 million products.
- Junker is available to 30 million people in 2500 municipalities all over Italy. It has reached 24 million people.
- Junker helps improve the quality of separate waste collection and reduce the amount of residual waste produced by households, which drives down the CO2 emissions produced by this waste fraction. What's more, municipalities and waste disposal companies can earn more by selling waste fractions if they are clean and of better quality.