Magnit, one of the largest retailers in Russia, has launched a pilot project to collect and recycle paper cash receipts. This complex type of waste has not yet been recycled on a large scale due to a lack of technology. As part of the pilot, the company will test operational processes for the first time and evaluate the possibility of organizing mass recycling of receipts.
Magnit's partner is EcoTechnologies (part of the EcoPartners group of companies), which has its own R&D center and processing facilities. The checks were collected in the spring of 2024 at one of the retailer's stores in Krasnogorsk, Moscow Region.
The collected checks will be processed into eco-wool, which will be used to insulate buildings. The resulting product will undergo a quality check to assess the prospects of its mass application in the construction industry. As part of the experiment, 220 kg of checks have already been sent for recycling.
In 2022, Magnit began the transition from paper to electronic cash receipts. This helps to reduce the environmental impact by reducing the amount of such waste in stores. Instead of a paper check, a buyer registered in the loyalty program of "Magnet" can receive an electronic version of the document. Refusal of a paper check is possible in all stores of the network, but it is not mandatory - the choice is up to the buyer.
The collected checks will be processed into eco-wool, which will be used to insulate buildings. The resulting product will undergo a quality check to assess the prospects of its mass application in the construction industry. As part of the experiment, 220 kg of checks have already been sent for recycling.
In 2022, Magnit began the transition from paper to electronic cash receipts. This helps to reduce the environmental impact by reducing the amount of such waste in stores. Instead of a paper check, a buyer registered in the loyalty program of "Magnet" can receive an electronic version of the document. Refusal of a paper check is possible in all stores of the network, but it is not mandatory - the choice is up to the buyer.
Nadezhda Galaktionova, Director of Sustainable Development of the Magnit retail network:
"Our customers can do their part to reduce their carbon footprint by choosing to switch to a digital receipt in our mobile app. We understand that this option is not convenient for everyone, so we look for ways to minimize the environmental impact of paper receipts. For example, we have reduced the printable area of receipts by more than 50% by optimizing optional information. Our joint project with EcoTechnologies, which we are announcing today, aims to find an effective solution for the industrial recycling of paper receipts. Based on the results of the trial period, we will decide on the possibility of scaling up the project.
Natalia Ponomareva, Environmental Projects Manager at EcoTechnologies, said:
"Cheques are mostly made of thermal paper, which contains a toxic substance - bisphenol A. The concentration of bisphenol A on the receipts does not affect the health of the buyer, but it is impossible to recycle the receipts together with waste paper. At the same time, the potential for collection and inclusion of receipts in a closed cycle has not been studied. This will be done in a joint pilot project with Magnit, the first retailer to study this problem and a pioneer in the search for recycling solutions for receipts".
EcoTechnologies is a full-service sustainability implementation agency. The company is part of the EcoPartners group of companies, along with TotalCycle, a plastic packaging waste recycling company, and RzhevMash, a manufacturer of waste sorting equipment.