Eco-solutions: Ukraine welcomes new mobile app for sorting garbage

Rubryka covers the ECOLA APP app.

What is the problem?

The average person generates approximately 1.5 kilograms of trash daily. This includes everything from food waste, clothing, and footwear to different forms of plastic, paper, glass, metal, and even hazardous materials like batteries, medications, and light bulbs. All of this is then disposed of in landfills, where it takes decades to decompose, contaminating the soil, water, and air.

What is the solution?

To solve this issue, individuals can reduce their consumption of single-use plastics, practice responsible consumption, and find ways to reuse items. Additionally, it is essential to establish waste sorting at the individual and community levels, including within households, offices, and businesses.

The Ecola sorting service has been operating for five years. It assists environmentally conscious Ukrainians willing to dispose of their waste and recycle properly but lack the time to transport the materials to designated collection points.

And to make sorting garbage even easier, Ecola released a special mobile application.

Additionally, Ecola has launched a specialized mobile application to facilitate organizing waste.

How does it work?

Ecola sorting service is a Ukrainian startup facilitating efficient garbage sorting and recycling in Kyiv and across Ukraine through its "Raw by Mail" service. By collecting waste directly from homes and offices, the company ensures proper disposal and processing. This eliminates the need for multiple bags for different types of recyclable materials, as everything can be placed in a single 120-liter bag. The key requirement is that the materials are clean and dry.

In the past, requests to dispose of waste through recycling or incineration were handled through the Telegram bot. However, the process is now more convenient, with the option to use an app to order the collection of recyclable materials for processing.

"Sorting looks much easier when there is a guide/assistant at hand and the possibility of ordering a courier to remove garbage from the house or office door. Now, it can be done through the app. It will save you a lot of time and effort," Ecola says.

What does the app contain?

The application is already available for download in the App Store and Google Play.

"The Ecola app features a user-friendly interface, free from ads and unnecessary clutter. Its main function is to easily and swiftly input personal information, place orders for exporting raw materials, and make payments through Monobank. Additionally, the app includes sorting options to specify accepted materials for processing. It also offers a convenient way to view and track order history and details," Oksana Kominko, general manager of Ecola, said.

To utilize the service, you need to:

1. Get acquainted with the sorting regulations within the app and begin sorting your waste into a 120-liter bag, following these rules (all in one bag, no need to separate plastic, paper, glass, and metal).
2. Once you have accumulated one or more bags, fill out an application on the Ecola App, choose a date to collect your recyclables, and make the necessary payment.
3. On the scheduled pickup day, the Ecola courier will collect your bags directly from your doorstep.

One of the new features available on the app is a referral program. With this program, you can invite a friend, and when they successfully place their first order, you will receive UAH 50 for your next order. First-time users can also get a discount of UAH 50 on their first order by entering the promo code WELCOME_18119 during checkout.

"In the next iteration, we are also preparing updated sorting rules directly in the application. A new functionality will appear soon, which we will announce at the beginning of November, so follow our social networks," Oksana Kominko adds.

Does it really work?

The company transferred 1,400+ tons of recycled materials for processing for five years of operation.

Currently, Ecola offers the Recycling Basic and Recycling Pro services to accept recycled materials. The article provides further information about the specific items covered by each service. Additionally, Ecola has a designated garbage drop-off location at 50 Novopyrohivska Street in Kyiv.

"Our company offers recycling services for clients in Kyiv and the surrounding suburbs. For those located in other cities, we have an option called "Raw by Mail" for sending in recyclable materials. In addition, we train corporate partners on sorting guidelines and collaborating on marketing projects. Our business addresses social, cultural, and environmental challenges, thus making it a socially responsible entity. In the past, we even had promotional days for free material export. Still, due to the ongoing war, the cost of raw materials has significantly risen, making this service no longer feasible," Oksana Kominko says.

This fact does not frighten regular service users —they are ready to sort garbage even during a war.

^{Nataliia Oslopova with sorted garbage. Photo from the heroine's archive}

Yes, Nataliia Oslopova, a native of Kyiv, has been with Ecola for over four years, almost since its establishment. She says she now automatically sorts garbage. While doing the dishes, she washes all the packaging and puts everything in a large box. When the box is full, she separates it into two bags – one for recycling and the other for incineration.

Nataliia places an order to export these two bags every two or three months. Any excess food or vegetable waste is disposed of in the garbage can.

"I was immediately enticed by the fact that the startup offers to pick up the waste-filled bags themselves – since we don't have a car to transport them ourselves," Nataliia says.

She says that prices have gone up slightly in Ecola. Specifically, it now costs 50 UAH to return a package for recycling, 250 UAH for incineration, and 250 UAH for calling a car, totaling 550 UAH for her. The woman thinks this increase may discourage some people from using the service. However, Nataliia is confident she will continue using the services because she values the environment.

"It's crucial to prioritize sorting in Ukraine, considering our poor recycling rates compared to other European countries. A staggering 94% of waste goes to landfills, with only 4% going to recycling and 2% to incineration. Meanwhile, we are spending tens of millions of dollars on importing recycled materials every year to keep our processing facilities running," the general manager of Ecola, Oksana Kominko, sums up.

For reference:

Lutsk is currently installing underground garbage containers. Rubryka has held discussions with experts to assess the effectiveness of this solution.