Tetra Pak has collaborated with VECA to put used cartons on a scrap collection app, in efforts to improve convenience for consumers in recycling.

With the platform, cartons can be easily collected at households or businesses, in addition to 63 public drop-off stations that Tetra Pak and its partners have established in Viet Nam.

“Our goal is to make cartons collectable everywhere, including at home, schools, bars and workplaces. If we can do that, we will be very close to forming a culture of sorting used cartons to preserve and protect the environment and natural resources. The application of digital technology in collection is the key to achieving this goal,” said Ly Quynh Trang, director of Sustainability, Tetra Pak Vietnam.

VECA is a mobile app for buying and selling scrap, available on both the iOS App store and Google Play store, with about 20,000 users.

The application operates in a similar way to ride-hailing technology, in which people selling scrap use the app to provide information about the type and quantity of scrap they want to sell. It will then search for local collectors that are interested.

VECA is appreciated for its transparency in collection activities and publicly listing common collection prices in the area, helping sellers choose when to sell scrap and update prices on a daily basis.

In addition to scrap materials such as paper, glass bottles, plastic and metal, VECA will add cartons to the list of on-site collection from December 13, 2021.

“We have always been researching how to improve the app, including the expansion of the types of scrap that can be collected. With the current trend of regularly using milk and juice packages, cartons are an abundant source of recycled material, which have not yet been fully exploited. The addition of cartons to the collection list of VECA will bring benefits to recyclers, as well as to the environment,” said Do Thi Minh Trang, co-founder of VECA.

In the first six months of the programme, VECA will pilot on-site carton collection in 10 districts in HCM City, including Phu Nhuan, Binh Thanh, Tan Binh, District 1, District 3, District 10, District 4, District 5 and District 11.

After collection, each kilogram of cartons will be converted into points, corresponding to 1 star and accumulated on the customer's account to be exchanged for gifts of recycled products.

After the pilot phase, cartons will be collected similarly to other types of scrap with transparent purchasing prices for consumers. — VNS