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Sparklo is a global cleantech company dedicated to revolutionising the recycling industry and promoting sustainable practices worldwide. Through its innovative reverse vending machines (RVMs), known as Sparklomats, the company encourages users to recycle plastic bottles and aluminium cans by offering engaging rewards.
Sparklo's cutting-edge software and hardware solutions uses AI and machine learning to optimise recycling processes, making it fun and easy for individuals to embrace a sustainable lifestyle. Designed with advanced AI features, Sparklomats accurately identifies and sorts recyclable items without the need of barcodes, allowing a broader range of recyclable materials to be processed in just milliseconds, which enhances the efficiency and accessibility of the recycling process which enhances the efficiency and accessibility of the recycling process.
Each container deposited in a Sparklomat earns users rewards (bonus points) that can be redeemed as discounts with partner brands, offering a positive incentive to recycle. This rewards-based approach has shown success across various regions, with Sparklomats now operational in 10 countries, including the UAE, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Kazakhstan and Georgia.
The environmental impact of Sparklomats is substantial, with over 50 million packaging collected. Sparklo’s container collection activities not only reduce waste but also positively impact climate change: For every 1,000 containers collected through Sparklo’s RVMs, 121 kg of CO₂ emissions are prevented, 6 liters of water are saved, and 0.4 kWh of energy is conserved.
Currently, Sparklo has over 250,000 users worldwide and collects nearly 200,000 bottles and cans daily in the UAE alone—equivalent to 2.5 bottles per second and nearly 2% of the country's total consumption.
Sparklo’s strategic collaboration with major players like ADNOC, Lulu, Carrefour, and government bodies such as Dubai Municipality & the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi (EAD) highlights the adaptability of our model to meet public and private sustainability goals on a broad scale.The partnership with EAD aligns with the agency’s “Mission to Zero” that focuses on reducing carbon emissions and building a sustainable future for the city. These partnerships demonstrate a strong desire in the pursuit of sustainable innovation for the countries, further solidifying the MENA region position as a sustainability hub.
Beyond environmental benefits and strategic collaborations, our RVMs promote social responsibility and inclusivity by installing Sparklomats in accessible public areas where individuals from diverse backgrounds can engage in recycling. This method has proven effective; since its launching in the UAE in late 2022, we have installed over 300 Sparklomats, collecting over 50 million bottles and cans and saving more than over 3,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.
We strive to keep our solution affordable and reliable. This rewards-based model allows anyone, regardless of its socio-economic background, to participate in sustainability efforts and receive incentives for doing so. Our inclusive strategy has attracted over 250,000 users, highlighting the widespread appeal of its accessible, community-centred approach. We have therefore seen a positive response from the public, and we are committed to further developing and nurturing this behaviour.
Sparklo plans to expand its RVM network to 100,000 units by 2030, with a goal of collecting 5 billion bottles annually. This includes the deployment of 5,000 Sparklomats across the UAE to ensure comprehensive nationwide recycling coverage. This ambitious growth will improve recycling accessibility, reduce plastic waste, strengthen sustainability efforts, and contribute to addressing climate change. Moreover, the expansion will simplify user participation in the recycling program, thereby increasing the overall efficiency and impact of Sparklo’s initiative.
Nomination Title: Collecting Plastic Bottles and Aluminium Cans for Recycling
