Digital recycling centre

Citizens were surveyed

The new service was preceded by a representative survey in the municipalities of Coesfeld, Billerbeck and Rosendahl. The aim was to find out whether the citizens would be willing to use the recycling centre outside of regular opening hours. The results were clear and so REMONDIS implemented the new self-service using an app in Coesfeld – for the first time in Germany.

Citizens can now quickly and easily book their desired date to drop off recyclable material such as paper, furniture wood, bulky waste and green waste on selected days. They can then access the recycling centre via MAEX app. The first pilot phase started in mid-September with Android users. Since December, IOS users have also been able to use the service.

And the new service has been well received: More than 500 downloads and over 100 bookings were recorded in November and December 2022 alone. Due to the good demand, the cities of Coesfeld, Billerbeck and Rosendahl have also decided to include a reference to the digital recycling centre and the MAEX app in this year’s waste calendar. The service will be further developed next month with the implementation of several online billing options. After that, it will cost € 4 per use.

Convinced by the new self-service (from left): Stefan Bölte, Managing Director Wirtschaftsbetriebe Kreis Coesfeld, Thorsten Feldt, Managing Director REMONDIS Region West, and the mayors of the municipalities involved, Eliza Diekmann (Coesfeld), Christoph Gottheil (Rosendahl) and Marion Dirks (Billerbeck)

Eliza Diekmann, Mayor of the City of Coesfeld, tested the new self-service herself and opened the gate to the recycling centre using the MAEX app

Mayor takes up the smartphone herself

Together with the project team and representatives from REMONDIS, the mayors of the three municipalities involved, Coesfeld (Eliza Diekmann), Billerbeck (Marion Dirks) and Rosendahl (Christoph Gottheil), wanted to gain insight into the added value of the new self-service at the recycling centre.

Therefore, Eliza Diekmann took her smartphone and booked a date via MAEX app, whereupon the gate opened and the waste she had brought with her could be thrown into the appropriate containers. “The queue on the B474 has finally come to an end” – all those present were convinced of the increased flexibility and user-friendliness.

A model for other recycling centres throughout Germany

In Coesfeld, they are especially proud of the cooperation between the three municipalities, which ultimately also benefits the environment: “The greater the range of services, the better the circular economy works. After all, we want to return the recyclable materials to the cycle,” says Stefan Bölte, Managing Director of Wirtschaftsbetriebe Kreis Coesfeld. And this only works if recycling centres are used in the best possible way – with flexible services that meet the needs of the citizens. With the new self-service, citizens can now plan their drop-off of recyclables more flexibly and are no longer bound to rigid opening hours. This saves time and improves operations, as queues and backlogs are minimised.

What has already been successfully established in Coesfeld and is to be further improved in pilot operations over the next few months can also be implemented at other recycling centres across the country in the future. REMONDIS is happy to take the next step in digitalisation together with the local authorities and help the recycling centres to provide an even better service.

“We firmly expect to offer the service in other cities as well in the future.“

Thorsten Feldt, Managing Director REMONDIS Region West