GarBuy: Enhancing Student Participation and Reducing Plastic Bottle Waste

through a Reward-Based Reverse Vending Machine

A Research Proposal Submitted to Talisay City National High School Senior High

School Department

Ealvain Llarien L. Alvarado

Meca Hanabishi L. Despi

Faith Humility G. Catipay

Jasmine Kate G. Arcilla

Jayfhil L. Dela Cuesta

Milkoa Skylah L. Ruiz

Ramel L. Nebres
 October 2024

I. Introduction

1.1 Rationale

Plastic waste is a significant environmental pollutant, with the Philippines

being one of the largest contributors. Tantiangco (2018) reports that the country

wastes over 6.2 million kilograms of plastic per day, with 81% of it mismanaged.

Similarly, Dela Cruz (2023) highlights a World Bank report showing that the

Philippines generates 2.7 million tons of plastic waste annually. Among this

waste, plastic bottles are a major concern, with 1.5 million bottles ending up in

landfills or scattered along coastlines (WWF, 2018).

At the local level, Talisay City National High School (TCNHS) faces its own

plastic waste challenges, particularly with the daily consumption of plastic bottles.

According to Mrs. Celine Buquiron, a Job Order employee, the school collects

five bags of plastic bottles and three bags of plastic items like cups and wrappers

each day. These bottles, which are non-biodegradable, are often scattered

throughout the school, harming the environment and increasing the school's

waste management problems.

To address this issue, recycling presents a promising solution. Students

can transform these plastic wastes into something useful through creative

recycling methods. However, participation in clean-up efforts tends to be low

without direct incentives. This gap is where GarBuy, a reverse vending machine
(RVM), comes in, aiming to assess its effectiveness in reducing plastic bottle

waste at TCNHS.

GarBuy provides rewards like snacks or drinks in exchange for plastic

bottles, thus motivating students to take action. The plastic bottles collected from

the RVM will be sold to nearby junk shops, preventing them from ending up in

landfills, oceans, or the environment. The concept of reverse vending machines

is not new—globally, over 100,000 units have been deployed in areas that

mandate recycling (Eco Recycling, 2022). By placing GarBuy near school

cafeterias, students can trade plastic bottles for coupons, which helps both the

environment and the Job Order team, who would have an easier time sorting

recyclables from general waste. As Arjun et al. (2024) note, reverse vending

machines have gained significant attention in recent years. Unlike conventional

vending machines that dispense products for currency, these machines operate

in reverse—they accept empty beverage containers and provide rewards. This

innovative technology is changing how we approach recycling and resource

conservation.

Despite increasing awareness of the plastic waste crisis, the Philippines

continues to struggle with proper waste management. According to Lauengco

(2024), only 9% of the country’s plastic waste is recycled, while 35% ends up in

the open environment, and 33% is dumped in landfills. The situation is critical.

For example, in June 2021, the Cebu City Coastal Management Task Force

collected 13 tons of waste during a four-hour coastal clean-up, while Talisay City
collected 12 tons of waste across six barangays (Sunstar, 2021).

In this instance, TCNHS faces its own challenges. According to Mrs.

Buquiron, the school collects 15 XXL-sized plastic bags of bottles each week.

Each bag measures 37 inches high, 83 inches long, and 39 inches wide, with the

school's plastic bottle storage holding up to 230 bottles. Although daily garbage

collection is scheduled, delays occur when the garbage truck is out of service.

This excessive waste not only creates litter but also poses potential health and

environmental risks to the school community, as no formal recycling program has

been implemented. Furthermore, the job order employees have to segregate

some of the plastic bottles that are mixed with biodegradable waste due to

students' lack of proper waste segregation. While the principal has already

instructed students and teachers to segregate their waste before it is collected,

some classrooms still fail to comply. GarBuy aims to address these issues by

encouraging students to properly segregate their plastic waste through a reward

system, ultimately helping reduce plastic pollution at the school.

However, implementing the GarBuy platform is not without its challenges.

One technical difficulty is ensuring that the machine’s sensor reliably detects the

objects programmed into its system, regardless of shape, size, or color (Wenglor,

n.d.). Additionally, motivating participation in plastic waste reduction remains

difficult, as many people are not inclined to participate unless they are offered

rewards or educated about the issue. For instance, Barangay Captain Joemar
Estrope noted that local residents often refuse to join clean-up efforts unless

there are incentives (SunStar, 2023).

Another challenge lies in changing habits and mindsets regarding plastic

disposal, a process that requires time and effort (Plastic Smart Cities, n.d.). For

the school community, balancing the offering of incentives with educating

students about sustainability is essential. According to the World Economic

Forum (2022), successful environmental projects should be culturally relevant,

offer incentives, and follow sustainability practices recommended by

environmental experts.

Lastly, the economic aspect poses a challenge for the researchers.

Reverse vending machines require a significant initial investment, particularly for

advanced components like sensors. Amod et al. (2024) emphasize that

economic factors, including high installation costs and concerns about

profitability, are major barriers to widespread RVM adoption. By addressing these

challenges, GarBuy has the potential to cultivate a culture of environmental

responsibility and sustainability at TCNHS. This initiative could encourage

students to be more conscious of their plastic waste disposal and contribute to

broader efforts in managing plastic pollution within the school.

1.2 Statement of the Objectives

machine for plastic bottles to improve and increase participation rates on plastic

waste management within the Talisay City National High School community. The

specific research objectives include:

1.2.1 To build a Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) that allows students to

exchange plastic bottles for drinking water and coupons for additional rewards

near the school cafeterias.

1.2.2 To increase participation rates in recycling initiatives by 10% within the first

month of implementation.

1.2.3 To evaluate the effectiveness in implementing reverse vending machine

(RVM) to engage at least 80% of the students at TCNHS in proper waste

segregation and recycling activities through education and incentives.

1.3 Hypotheses

The following null and alternative hypotheses will be tested in this study:

Null Hypotheses (H0)

H01: The performance of the reverse vending machine (RVM) cannot hold the
desired amount of plastic bottles

H02: There is no change in participation rate of students in segregating plastic

bottles in Talisay City National Highschool before and after implementation

Alterative Hypotheses (H1)

H11: The performance of the reverse vending machine (RVM) can hold the

desired amount of plastic bottles

H12: There is change in participation rate of students in segregating plastic bottles

in Talisay City National Highschool after implementation

1.4 Significance of the Study

The GarBuy project is important for several groups, including students, teachers,

school leaders, the community, and future researchers. This study contributes to

the following:

Students

-GarBuy encourages students to take part in reducing plastic waste. By offering

rewards for recycling, it helps students learn how to sort waste properly and

understand the importance of protecting the environment. This project also helps

students develop habits that will benefit them in the future.

-This study provides teachers with ideas for incorporating environmental topics

into their lessons. By involving students in recycling activities, teachers can make

learning about waste management more engaging and relevant. This hands-on

approach can enhance students’ understanding of environmental issues.

School Administration

-For Talisay City National High School (TCNHS), GarBuy can improve waste

management and reduce the amount of plastic waste on campus. This project

can help create a cleaner and healthier school environment, making the school a

more responsible and caring place.

Community

-The wider community can benefit from GarBuy by becoming more aware of

plastic pollution. As students learn about and practice recycling, they can share

this knowledge with their families and neighbors, promoting sustainable habits

beyond the school. This initiative can also inspire other schools to start similar

recycling programs.

Environmental Impact

-GarBuy addresses the urgent problem of plastic waste, helping to lower pollution

levels. By supporting recycling efforts, the project helps protect local ecosystems
and supports broader goals for sustainability. It promotes responsible

consumption and shows how small actions can lead to positive changes.

Future Researchers

-This study serves as a foundation for future research on recycling and waste

management in schools. Researchers can build on this work by exploring new

ways to engage students, improve recycling technology, and measure the long-

term effects of reward systems on waste reduction. The findings from GarBuy

can guide future projects aimed at making schools more sustainable.

In summary, the GarBuy project has the potential to make a meaningful impact

on students, teachers, the school community, and the environment. By promoting

recycling and educating students, it helps create a culture of responsibility and

care for the environment.

1.5 Definition of Terms

Plastic Waste:

-this refers to items like plastic bottles, cups, and wrappers that are thrown away

daily at TCNHS. The goal of this study is to help reduce the number of plastic

bottles that are improperly disposed of at the school.

-a special machine set up at TCNHS that gives rewards, like food or drink

coupons, to students when they recycle plastic bottles. GarBuy helps with proper

waste segregation and encourages students to recycle.

Reverse Vending Machine (RVM):

-a machine that takes in empty plastic bottles from students and gives them

rewards to promote recycling. GarBuy is the RVM used in this project to reduce

plastic waste at TCNHS.

Reward-Based System:

-this feature of GarBuy gives students things like snacks or drinks in exchange

for plastic bottles, making it fun and rewarding to recycle.

Plastic Bottle Collection:

-this is the process of gathering plastic bottles from GarBuy. The bottles are sold

to junk shops instead of being thrown into landfills, helping to keep the

environment clean.

Incentives:

-these are the rewards, like food or drink coupons, given to students when they

use GarBuy. The goal is to motivate more students to participate in reducing

plastic waste.
Environmental Responsibility:

-this means taking actions that help protect the environment, such as recycling

plastic bottles with GarBuy. The study aims to teach students to care for the

environment.

Waste Segregation:

-this is sorting waste into different types, like biodegradable and non-

biodegradable. GarBuy encourages students to properly separate plastic bottles

from other waste.

Non-Biodegradable Waste:

-waste like plastic bottles that do not break down naturally. The project focuses

on reducing this type of waste at TCNHS using GarBuy.

Recycling:

-turning waste, like plastic bottles, into new, usable items. GarBuy helps with this

by collecting plastic bottles for proper recycling.

Plastic Pollution:

-this is the build-up of plastic in the environment, which can harm animals and

nature. GarBuy helps fight plastic pollution by giving students a way to recycle

their bottles.
Student Participation:

-this refers to students getting involved in the GarBuy program by bringing plastic

bottles to the machine for rewards. The project hopes to increase student

participation in recycling at TCNHS.

Waste Management:

-this is the process of handling waste properly, including collecting, transporting,

and disposing of it. GarBuy improves waste management at TCNHS by reducing

plastic waste and encouraging recycling.

Job Order Employee:

-a staff member at the school, like Mrs. Celine Buquiron, who helps with tasks

like collecting and sorting plastic waste. In this study, job order employees also

help with managing the bottles collected by GarBuy, which makes their job

easier.

Sensor:

-a part of the GarBuy machine that detects plastic bottles by their shape, size,

and material. It helps ensure only plastic bottles are accepted by the machine,

triggering the reward system once a bottle is inserted.

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