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.
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".