RecyHub: Data, Telemetry and Analytics for Reverse Vending Machines

Reverse vending machines are the visible tip of the system. The real “brain” that makes an RVM fleet manageable, auditable and integrable with other systems is the data platform behind it.

For Recyclever, that platform is RecyHub.

RecyHub is the backbone of the RVM fleet: a cloud‑based system that combines telemetry, container and session data, configuration updates, and APIs to external apps, POS software and DMO systems. Every accepted (or refused) container, every voucher, every alert and every bag sealed at an RVM passes through RecyHub in some way.

This article explains:

• What RecyHub is and who uses it
• What data is captured at container and session level
• How telemetry and alerts work in day‑to‑day operations
• How RecyHub integrates with DMOs, POS, loyalty apps and wallets
• How operators and brands use data for optimisation and ESG reporting

1. RecyHub as the “tree” of the RVM fleet

RecyHub is best visualised as a tree structure:

• At the top, Recyclever has full visibility across all RVMs for support and engineering.
• Below that, a client with 100 RVMs sees only their own fleet.
• Within that client, a shop manager may see just the 1–2 machines installed at their store.
• For a DMO, RecyHub feeds data into the DMO’s own systems via APIs so their central sessions and statistics database fills up.

In practical terms, RecyHub is:

• A telemetry platform – monitoring status, bin levels, errors, connectivity.
• A transaction database – recording each container, session, voucher and bag event.
• A configuration channel – pushing barcode databases, software updates and settings to machines.
• An integration hub – exposing APIs to POS systems, loyalty apps, digital wallets, DMO back‑ends and alerting platforms.

Everything flows through RecyHub: RVMs never talk directly to retailer or DMO systems. This keeps security, change management and diagnostics centralised.

2. Data per container: sensors, decisions and evidence

Each time a container enters an RVM5, RecyHub receives a detailed record of what happened.

For every attempt (accepted or refused), the system can log:

• Timestamp (exact time of the event).
• Barcode data (if barcode mode is active).
• Sensor readings, including:
  • Material checks (PET, glass, metal).
  • Weight.
  • Dimensions (diameter and length).
  • Movement / pullback patterns.
  • Silhouette / shape (including “already compacted?” checks).
• Decision outcome:
  • Accepted (and routed to which compartment).
  • Refused (and reason flags, e.g. wrong material, wrong dimensions, suspected fraud, etc.).

In some failure or investigation scenarios, the system can also store images of problematic items so that engineers can later analyse why something was rejected or how fraud was attempted.

This container‑level data is the forensic layer:

• It proves why a given container was or wasn’t accepted.
• It underpins anti‑fraud logic and tuning.
• It feeds higher‑level statistics on materials, flows and performance.

3. Data per session: from first container to voucher/app

While containers are processed one by one, users experience an RVM session.

A session typically:

• Starts with the first container inserted.
• Continues as the user returns further containers.
• Ends when the user presses “Finish” (or a similar command).

For each session, RecyHub records:

• Start and end time.
• Number of containers, by material (PET, alu, glass, etc.).
• Calculated value (deposit total or incentive total).
• Reward type:
  • Printed voucher (static or logic‑based).
  • QR on screen linked to an app or portal.
  • NFC/QR user recognition event.
  • Donation to charity or split choices.

The logic of “how value is calculated” can sit in different places depending on the project:

• In some setups, the RVM does the math and RecyHub simply logs the value.
• In others, RecyHub applies the business rules (per material, per container, per campaign) and then feeds the calculated value back to the machine for voucher printing.
• For DRS, the rules must match exactly what the DMO specifies.

In all cases, RecyHub keeps a full audit trail of:

• API calls to POS or voucher systems.
• Voucher codes issued.
• App transactions initiated (QR, NFC, key‑in).

4. Telemetry: bin levels, status and real‑time alerts

Beyond container and session data, RecyHub collects rich machine telemetry:

• Bin‑fill levels per compartment (PET, alu, glass).
• Power status and reboots.
• Door open/closed and safety interlock events.
• Error codes and inoperative states.
• Network connectivity (online/offline).
• Temperature where relevant.

Reporting is effectively continuous and near‑real‑time: RVMs push updates frequently enough that operators can treat the view as live.

4.1. Key alerts

Certain telemetry conditions trigger alerts:

• Bin almost full
• Bin full
• Machine inoperative
• Machine offline (no connectivity)
• Repeat fraud attempts (for example, more than a certain number of suspicious events in a row)

Alerts can be delivered via:

• Email straight from RecyHub.
• API calls into store headset systems, so staff wearing headsets are notified.
• SMS or other alerting platforms that integrate with RecyHub’s API.

The idea is simple: the right person should know immediately when:

• A bin is about to overflow.
• A machine has gone offline.
• A pattern of suspicious behaviour suggests targeted fraud.

5. DRS databases, bag sealing and traceability

In DRS environments, RecyHub plays a central role in compliance and clearing.

5.1. Container databases from the DMO

Each DRS market has a Deposit Management Operator (DMO) that maintains the authoritative list of:

• Eligible containers (barcodes, specifications).
• Deposit values and sometimes material categories.

These container databases can change daily or weekly as products enter and leave the scheme.

RecyHub handles this by:

1. Connecting to the DMO’s API to pull the latest container lists.
2. Updating its internal dataset.
3. Pushing the updated database to all relevant RVMs automatically.

This ensures:

• RVMs are always aligned with the official list.
• New products can be accepted promptly.
• Rescinded products are no longer accepted.

5.2. Collection point registration and bag sealing

Each RVM is registered with the DMO as a collection point. RecyHub keeps track of:

• Containers collected per machine/site.
• The link between machines, bags and clearing.

When staff empty an RVM:

1. They seal each bag with a numbered seal.
2. The seal number is keyed in at the machine.
3. The machine sends this to RecyHub, which in turn:
   • Sends the bag details to the DMO.
   • Associates each bag with:
     • A specific RVM and site.
     • A time window.
     • An expected container count (and potentially weight).

At the counting centre (the step before recycling), the DMO can then:

• Check that the actual count/weight from each bag matches the expectation.
• Detect discrepancies that might suggest loss, theft or counting errors.

RecyHub is therefore a critical part of the “chain of custody” from consumer return, through RVM, bag, counting centre, and finally to recycling.

6. Portal views, reporting and exports

RecyHub’s web portal gives different stakeholders tailored views:

• Fleet‑wide overviews (for corporate users):
  • All machines, grouped by client, country, region, site.
• Store‑level dashboards (for shop managers):
  • Just the local machines, with clear traffic‑light status and key numbers.

Standard metrics include:

• Containers per day/week/month per machine and per site.
• Split by material (PET, alu, glass, possibly others).
• Number and value of vouchers issued.
• Machine uptime vs downtime.
• Alerts and intervention history.

Data can be downloaded as CSV for further analysis:

• Retailers or DMOs can feed it into their own BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, in‑house dashboards).
• Municipalities can combine it with broader waste and recycling data.

In many DRS contexts, DMOs will preferentially consume data through their own APIs and data models, with RecyHub feeding their back‑end directly. The portal remains valuable for retailers and operators who want quick operational views and exports.

7. APIs and integrations: RecyHub as central hub

A key architectural decision is that:

• RVMs talk securely to RecyHub only.
• RecyHub then talks to all external systems via APIs.

This has several benefits:

• Retailers, DMOs and app providers integrate once, with RecyHub, not separately with each machine.
• Security, authentication and versioning are managed centrally.
• Diagnostic work is simpler: you can see the entire path of a transaction in one place.

Typical integrations include:

• Retail POS / voucher systems

  • For logic‑based printed vouchers.
  • RecyHub mediates the voucher API calls and logs every issuance.

• Loyalty and retailer apps

  • For QR‑on‑screen flows and NFC/QR user recognition.
  • RecyHub sends user IDs and session details so apps can credit points.

• Digital wallets and phone‑number‑based rewards

  • For key‑in‑on‑touchscreen flows that post transactions into mobile wallet systems.

• Store alert systems and headsets

  • For bin‑full/inop/offline alerts.

• DMO back‑ends

  • For container counts, bag IDs and clearing data.

RecyHub is deliberately system‑agnostic: if a platform can speak via API, RecyHub can be configured to integrate with it.

8. Using data to improve operations and business outcomes

8.1. Operational optimisation

Operators use RecyHub data to:

• Plan emptying routes and frequencies:

  • Bin‑fill histories show which machines fill fastest.
  • Collections can be scheduled before machines go “bin full” and lock.

• Identify problematic machines or sites:

  • Repeated alerts, high downtime, or unusual error codes flag where engineering time is needed.

• Plan maintenance and upgrades:

  • Long‑term patterns in error types or compaction performance can indicate when blade changes, sensor recalibrations or software updates are due.

8.2. Commercial and ESG reporting

For brands, retailers and municipalities, RecyHub data is the evidence layer for:

• ESG metrics:

  • Tonnes of PET, alu and glass collected and sent to recycling.
  • Containers diverted from mixed waste streams.
  • Estimated CO₂ savings from avoided landfill/incineration and reduced logistics.

• Campaign evaluation:

  • Before/after comparisons when incentives change.
  • Impact of communications (screen media, in‑store marketing) on return volumes.

• Public communication:

  • “X million containers collected in this city.”
  • “Y tonnes of plastic prevented from going to landfill.”

Even outside DRS, where the focus is not on deposit compliance, RecyHub becomes the data backbone for measuring behaviour change and environmental impact.

9. Architecture, reliability and data retention

RecyHub is a cloud‑based, multi‑tenant platform:

• Designed to host multiple clients and countries securely.
• Built so that fleets can scale from a handful of RVMs to hundreds and beyond.

Data handling follows a tiered approach:

• “Ready to read” data – recent months of detailed transactions remain immediately accessible for dashboards, exports and API queries.
• After around six months, older data is moved into backup storage, where it is still retained but no longer queried as frequently.

Clients can:

• Access and export current data via the portal or APIs.
• Work with Recyclever to retrieve and analyse historical data from backup when needed (e.g. for audits or long‑term trend analysis).

10. The role of RecyHub in DRS and non‑DRS projects

In DRS markets, RecyHub is all about:

• Compliance and integrity:
  • Correct container lists from the DMO.
  • Accurate session and voucher logs.
  • Bag sealing and counting centre alignment.
  • Fraud monitoring and statistics.

In non‑DRS initiatives, where there is no central DMO, RecyHub becomes:

• A data engine for innovation:
  • Understanding material flows and user behaviour.
  • Quantifying environmental impact.
  • Testing and iterating business models and incentive schemes.

In both cases, the principle is the same:

The RVM is the hardware at the edge; RecyHub is the brain and nervous system that keeps the fleet coordinated, auditable and connected to the wider digital ecosystem.

Read more

Designing an RVM Collection Initiative (DRS and non‑DRS)
How to specify an RVM‑based collection initiative end‑to‑end: operating modes, DRS vs non‑DRS, fraud prevention, logistics, business model and success metrics.

RVM Material Flows Explained: PET, Aluminium, Glass (Refill vs Recycling) and Carton/Tetrapak
Technical deep‑dive into how PET, aluminium, glass and cartons behave in an RVM, why separation matters, and how compaction and material choices affect real recycling and logistics.

User Interaction and Reward Options for Reverse Vending Machines
From simple paper tickets to app‑based rewards, QR codes, NFC and digital wallets: how RVM user journeys are engineered and when to use which option.

RVM Compaction Technology and CO₂ Impact
Inside the RVM5 compactor: how tuned blades, chambers and plates deliver high density, prevent fraud, and reduce transport emissions.