I visited the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham for the Resource and Waste Management trade fair. I was able to get a closer look at some of the reverse vending machines that will be available in larger shops and supermarkets for the return of plastic bottles and cans. Smaller shops are likely to have a manual return system. The Deposit Return System is due to go live on the first day of October 2027.
Recyclever
www.recyclever.com/
linkedin.com/company/recyclever-rvm/home/
UK, headquarters Newcastle-under-Lyme in the West Midlands.
Two sizes of RVM on display, large and compact versions.
Carnaud Metal Box
cmbe.com/rvm-solutions
linkedin.com/company/carnaudmetalbox-engineering-limited/home/
UK based, a well established firm in the canning industry branching out into reverse vending. They also displayed a mobile collection van.
Pictured are two of their Mini RVMs.
Tomra
tomra.com/en-gb
linkedin.com/company/tomra/home/
Based in Norway, established in 1972. One of the bigger waste technology companies. They had several RVMs on display including a bulk feed machine. When I saw it being demonstrated the last bottle got stuck at the top of the conveyor belt and wouldn’t drop into the chute!
RVM Systems UK
rvmsystems.co.uk/
linkedin.com/company/rvm-systems-uk/home/
The Headquarters are in Sweden.
rvmsystems.com/
(No pictures, I must have missed their stand?)
Ripet
ripet.it/en/
linkedin.com/company/ripet-international/home/
Based in Italy. Two RVMs pictured below. The large one is a store front model, that can be used outside, and is made from recycled plastic.
Environmental Services & Solutions Expo
16 September 2026
This is a massive event and I only managed to have a good look round a fraction of what was on offer. I took in five of the presentations, the first of which was mostly inaudible due to the background hubbub, although what I heard about the Future of the Waste Industry was somewhat thought provoking. I somehow missed the DRS talk, and the rest were unmemorable or rushed. People seem to be so taken with their slick slide decks that they don’t have time to pause or go into any detail. With hindsight I would have spent more time at stands talking, taking better photos and notes, and maybe some videos of the RVM’s. It’s an exhausting day and I always wish I was better prepared! At £132.30 for the train ticket, three hours each way, my Womble Wages for the year just about cover the thirty pence. Oh well.
Next event 15-16 September 2027, if I can afford it.
I have a soft spot for vending machines. My first job was at Almex Control Systems in Uxbridge where I worked on ticket vending machines in the early 90’s. ASLAN (Autoslot Local Area Network) had networked parking machines with dial up modems.