INDUSTRIES

Recover the Missing 25% of Beverage Containers

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Even with Deposit Return Schemes, 1 in 4 containers never make it back. Superfy helps you capture every container and maximize your returns.

 

25%
The Missing Quarter
Even in countries with successful Deposit Return Schemes, approximately 25% of beverage containers never make it to recycling. That's billions of containers—and millions in unclaimed deposits—lost every year due to convenience barriers, forgotten containers, and inefficient collection networks.

Why 25% of Containers Are Lost

Inconvenient Depot Locations

Consumers must drive to bottle depots, often far from home or work. Busy families and workers simply don't have time, so containers pile up or go to landfill.


Limited Operating Hours

Most depots close at 5-6 pm and aren't open Sundays. People who work standard hours have tiny windows to return containers, leading to accumulation and eventual disposal.

Storage & Transport Hassle

Storing bags of bottles, loading them into vehicles, unloading at depots—it's messy and time-consuming. Many consumers decide the 10-25¢ per container isn't worth the effort.

Commercial & Office Gaps

Office buildings, hotels, and restaurants generate massive volumes but lack depot access during business hours. Commercial containers often go straight to general waste.


Multi-Unit Building Challenges

Apartment and condo residents have nowhere convenient to store containers. Communal bins overflow, and residents choose convenience over deposits.

Low Awareness & Engagement

Many consumers don't know where their nearest depot is or forget about containers stored in garages for months. Out of sight, out of mind means lost recovery.

How Superfy Captures the Missing 25%

Bring the Depot to the Customer

QR Code On-Demand Collections
Place smart bins at apartment buildings, offices, schools. Residents scan QR code when ready, schedule pickup in 30 seconds. No depot visit required.

Strategic Collection Network
Deploy bins in high-traffic locations: apartment complexes, office buildings, shopping centers, schools, event venues. Meet people where they are.

Smart Fill-Level Monitoring
Sensors track when bins are full. No overflow = better customer experience. Optimize collection routes to only service bins that need it.

Digital Deposit Returns
Consumers get deposits via e-transfer, PayPal, or charity donations. No need to handle cash or wait for cheques—instant gratification drives participation.

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How Bottle Depot Uses Superfy

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Multi-Family Residential Programs

Challenge
Apartment buildings in Western Canada had 40% participation rates in DRS. Residents threw containers in regular recycling (losing deposits) because driving to depots was too inconvenient.

Solution
Placed Superfy smart bins in apartment parkades and lobbies. Residents scan QR code when ready for collection. System schedules pickup, sends confirmation, processes deposits digitally.

Result
Participation jumped from 40% to 82%, collected 3x more containers per building, residents love the convenience, property managers report cleaner common areas.

Event & Venue Collection

Challenge
Sports venues, festivals, and concerts produced mountains of containers. Most went to general waste because there was no practical way to sort and return thousands of containers per event.

Solution
Temporary smart bins deployed at events with QR codes. Attendees drop containers, venue staff scan code when bins full. Superfy Fleet optimizes collection timing around event schedules.

Result
Major venues now recovering 75%+ of containers (previously 5-10%), event organizers hit sustainability targets, positive PR from visible recycling efforts.

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Corporate & Office Collection Programs

Challenge
Office towers with 5,000+ employees generated massive container volumes. Everything went to general waste because there was no depot access during business hours.

Solution
Superfy Collections provides corporate portals where facilities managers track volumes, schedule pickups, and get monthly reports. Option for deposits to go to charity or employee social funds.

Result
Capturing 15,000+ containers monthly per building that were previously lost, corporate ESG reporting improved, employees engaged through charity donation option.


School & Community Fundraising

Challenge
Schools ran bottle drives but required volunteers to sort, count, load vehicles, and transport to depots. Time-intensive process limited frequency and discouraged participation.

Solution
Permanent collection bins at schools with QR codes. Students drop containers anytime. When full, staff scans code, Superfy schedules pickup. Deposits automatically credited to school fundraising account.

Result
Schools running year-round programs instead of 2-3 annual drives, 5x more containers collected, zero volunteer sorting time, steady income stream for activities and equipment.

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Success Story: Bottle Depot Network

10,000+
Smart collection points deployed

18M
Additional containers recovered annually

35%
Increase in total return rates

 

"Superfy helped us capture the containers we were losing to convenience. By placing smart bins where people live and work, we've grown our recovery rates by 35%. The QR code system makes it effortless for customers—they love not having to drive to our depots. It's expanded our reach and our impact."
Taylor Love,
CEO, Bottle Depot Councils

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How It Works

1.

Deploy Smart Collection Points

Place bins with sensors and QR codes at apartments, offices, schools, venues—wherever people are.

2.

Customer Scans QR Code

When ready for collection, customer scans code. Takes 30 seconds to schedule pickup and provide account details..

3.

Automated Collection Scheduling

System tracks fill levels, schedules collections when needed, optimizes routes. No wasted trips, maximum efficiency.

4.

Digital Deposit Processing

Containers counted at depot. Deposits paid via e-transfer, PayPal, charity donation, or account credit. Instant gratification.

Superfy Products for DRS


Superfy Collections

QR code self-service and automated scheduling.

  • QR codes on every smart bin
  • Customer self-service scheduling
  • Automated pickup confirmations
  • Digital deposit processing
  • Charity donation options
  • Superfy Track
  • Monitor fill levels across your network

Superfy Track

Monitor fill levels across your network.

  • Real-time fill-level sensors
  • Prevent overflows
  • Optimize collection timing
  • Location tracking
  • Historical usage patterns

 


Superfy Materials

Track containers and generate reports.

  • Container type tracking
  • Volume by location
  • Customer account management
  • Automated deposit payments
  • ESG & recovery rate reports

 

The Business Impact

Recover the Missing 25%

Capture containers that previously went to landfill. Increase total recovery rates by 30-40% in your market.

Grow Your Business

Expand into underserved markets (apartments, offices, events) without opening new depot locations.

Environmental Leadership

Demonstrate DRS effectiveness. Show regulators and consumers that convenience drives participation.

Operational Efficiency

Optimize collection routes. Only service bins that need it. Reduce fuel costs and vehicle wear.

Common Questions

How do digital deposit returns work?

When customers schedule a collection via QR code, they provide their payment preference: email for e-transfer, PayPal address, charity selection, or account credit. After containers are counted at your depot, the system automatically processes payment. Typical turnaround is 24-48 hours from collection to payment—much faster than traditional depot visits.

What prevents fraud or contamination in remote collection bins?

Multiple safeguards: bin sensors detect unusual fill patterns, video verification options at collection, random audits, and contamination fees discourage abuse. Most programs see less than 2% contamination rates—comparable to depot returns. Clear signage and customer education minimize issues.

Can we integrate this with our existing depot counting systems?

Yes. Superfy integrates with major depot management systems. Containers collected via Superfy bins are tracked separately through collection and counting, then final deposit payments flow through your standard systems. Your existing workflow remains intact.

What's the deployment timeline for a network of collection points?

Pilot programs with 20-50 bins typically launch in 4-6 weeks. This includes site selection, bin deployment, QR code setup, and customer communications. Full-scale rollouts of 200+ bins take 3-4 months. We recommend starting with high-volume locations to prove ROI quickly.

Ready to Recover the Missing 25%?