The question
If our Reverse Vending Machines are supposed to be official DRS return points, what happens when a machine is full, offline, or out of service? How do we design operations, staffing and maintenance so that:
- We remain compliant with DRS obligations as far as reasonably practicable.
- We protect customer experience and footfall.
- We keep costs and complexity under control across a large estate.
The direct answer
A scheme operator (DMO) will typically specify minimum uptime and performance expectations for RVM return points, but will also accept that short periods of reduced service are inevitable in a real retail environment. The operational challenge for the retailer is to:
- Use smart alerts (for example “80% full” early warnings) to schedule bin emptying before it becomes a problem.
- Keep machines running through short offline periods using locally cached drink databases and pre‑banked vouchers.
- Minimise “hard outages” (vandalism, hardware failure) through robust hardware, clear SLAs and, where justified by volume, redundancy (two machines per store instead of one).
If an RVM is out of service for a short period, the DMO will normally tolerate this without penalties. However, during that time the retailer is not providing the expected service and may lose customers to other return points, so it is in the retailer’s direct commercial interest to restore service quickly.
When the machine is full: alerts and store procedures
A modern RVM should not simply stop when a bin is full. Instead, it uses progressive alerting:
Pre‑alert around 80% full
- The machine monitors fill levels and sends a first alert (to store staff and/or the fleet portal) at around 80% capacity.
- This gives the store team time to plan: if they are currently quiet, they can empty the machine immediately; if they are busy, they know they must prioritise it soon.
Critical alert at 100% full
- Once the bin reaches 100% in logical terms, the RVM will typically still have a small mechanical buffer (compact more, push material further down), but the alert escalates to a “must empty now” status.
- Store SOPs should make this a time‑critical task, with clear responsibility (for example duty manager or appointed RVM champion).
In practice, this means:
- The machine spends very little time in a “truly unusable” full state.
- The fleet portal (for example RecyHub) can flag stores that consistently run too close to capacity, prompting a review of bin sizes, emptying schedules or even the case for an additional RVM.
For a high‑volume location, this is often where the business case for deploying two machines instead of one becomes clear: at peak times, one machine can be emptied while the other continues to operate.
When the machine is offline: operating through short connectivity issues
Connectivity outages—whether due to store network changes, ISP issues or local Wi‑Fi problems—are inevitable. An RVM designed for DRS should be able to continue operating safely for short periods when offline:
Drinks database cached locally
- The RVM keeps a local copy of the last downloaded DRS drinks database.
- If the connection to RecyHub or the DRS operator is temporarily lost, the machine can still validate containers against the most recent known data.
Pre‑banked vouchers from POS
- In normal operation, the RVM requests unique voucher codes from the POS system via RecyHub.
- To tolerate brief outages, a bank of pre‑authorised voucher codes (bundled by value) is downloaded to the machine in advance.
- While offline, the RVM draws from this local bank to issue vouchers; when connectivity returns, it reconciles issued codes with RecyHub, which in turn reconciles with POS and replenishes the bank.
Alerting and monitoring
- As soon as the connection drops, the RVM generates an “offline” alert in the fleet portal.
- For many incidents this is just a brief blip; if the offline status persists beyond a defined threshold (for example 15 or 30 minutes), escalation rules can trigger store or IT actions.
From a compliance and service perspective:
- Short offline periods with continued safe operation are generally acceptable to DMOs, as long as validation remains accurate and settlement data is synchronised once connectivity is restored.
- For the retailer, the key is that customer experience continues uninterrupted for minor network incidents.
When the machine is truly out of service
A more serious scenario is when the RVM is:
- Physically damaged (for example vandalism, impact, liquid spills).
- Experiencing a hardware or critical software failure.
- Locked out for safety reasons (door tampered with, internal faults, repeated severe jams).
In this case, the machine must be taken out of service. Operationally this means:
- The return point is temporarily not available for automated returns.
- If the store sells in‑scope drinks, it still has the statutory obligation to accept returns (subject to the scheme’s exemption rules), so either:
- Temporary manual returns processes must be implemented (where feasible and safe), or
- Customers are directed to the nearest alternative return point.
From a DMO perspective:
- Short periods of outage are generally recognised as unavoidable; penalties are unlikely where the retailer has robust maintenance processes and the outage is promptly resolved.
- Long or repeated outages at the same location may trigger scrutiny, especially if the store is a high‑volume return point.
From a retailer’s perspective:
- An out‑of‑service RVM means poor customer experience, risk to brand perception and potential loss of footfall to competitors who can accept returns.
- It also means collection of containers is likely to become more labour‑intensive, messy or ad‑hoc if done manually.
This is where clear maintenance SLAs and, for higher‑volume sites, redundancy (a second machine) become commercially important, not just “nice to have”.
Maintenance SLAs and fleet‑level planning
When deploying an RVM fleet, retailers and RVM suppliers agree a maintenance framework with defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs), for example:
Response times:
- Critical incidents: engineer on site within 1, 4 or 12 hours.
- Non‑critical issues: within 1–2 days.
- Remote diagnostics and fixes attempted immediately where possible.
Prioritisation rules:
- High‑volume sites and flagship locations may warrant tighter SLAs.
- Sites with no nearby alternative return point may also receive higher priority.
Preventive maintenance:
- Scheduled maintenance visits to service components, check sensors and clean internals before failures occur.
- Use of RecyHub data (error codes, jam frequency, component wear) to anticipate issues.
For a large estate, this is supported by:
- Centralised monitoring in the fleet portal, showing machine status (OK, warning, offline, out of service) across all return points.
- Reporting that highlights chronic problem sites or patterns, feeding back into property decisions (for example whether to re‑site a machine, add a second unit, or adjust bin sizes).
Why two RVMs can be better than one in high‑volume stores
From a pure DRS compliance perspective, one RVM per store might be enough to qualify as a return point. From an operational and commercial perspective, high‑volume stores often decide to install two machines even if their calculated capacity suggests “1–2 machines”:
Redundancy:
- If one machine is being emptied, serviced or repaired, the other can continue to operate.
- The store avoids “hard stops” where no automated return is available.
Peak smoothing:
- At busy times (weekends, evenings), two machines reduce queues and protect customer experience.
- Fill‑level alerts can be staggered and managed so that the store team always has at least one RVM in full service.
Resilience against vandalism or localised damage:
- A single damaged unit leaves the store without automated returns. Two units provide a buffer.
Ultimately, the decision sits with the retailer’s property and finance teams, but a well‑designed DRS RVM deployment will consider redundancy as a serious option, not an afterthought.
Designing a compliant and resilient operational plan
For a property director or project manager, an effective operational plan for RVM uptime typically includes:
Clear SOPs for store teams
- What to do at “bin 80% full” alerts.
- Who is responsible for emptying and cleaning.
- How to respond to offline or error alerts from the machine.
Robust connectivity design
- LAN/Wi‑Fi/4G options tested and documented.
- Pre‑banked vouchers and local databases configured for continuity.
Defined maintenance SLAs
- Incident categories and response times agreed with the RVM supplier.
- Escalation routes for repeated failures or vandalism.
Redundancy where justified
- Second machines in high‑volume or strategically important stores.
- Alternative return options considered in network planning.
Ongoing analytics and optimisation
- Use fleet data to refine bin‑emptying schedules and staffing.
- Review uptime, incident rates and customer feedback regularly.
The DMO’s role is to set the framework and minimum expectations; the retailer’s role is to design and operate a return‑point network that meets those expectations efficiently and consistently.
For more information on RVM architectures, DRS readiness and fleet management, visit: