Betterbin Recycling App

The Lebanon Solid Waste Facility has its own recycling and composting app available for community members to use before dropping off recyclables and food waste at the Lebanon Recycling Center. The app allows patrons to scan their waste items to better understand what is acceptable and unacceptable in both our recycling and food waste drop-off programs. The best part, besides knowing you are recycling right, is that registered users can earn rewards while recycling! 

How to access the Betterbin app

Using the Betterbin app is easy! Simply follow these five easy steps to get started. 

1. Search for Betterbin in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
2. Download the app to your mobile device.
3. Create an account and log in.
4. Choose Lebanon as your community.
5. Use the app to scan the UPC barcode of any items you wish to recycle or alternatively use the text search option.
6. Receive Lebanon Recycling Center program-specific disposal instructions.
7. Earn points and receive rewards! 

If you have trouble accessing or using the app, please email solid.waste@lebanonnh.gov. 

Why use the Betterbin App?

“We need our customers to understand that we don’t have machines sorting the materials they put in our drop-off dumpsters,” said Marc Morgan, Lebanon Solid Waste Manager. “Our team has to manually sort out materials that don’t belong in the dumpsters. If we don’t sort out those contaminants, there is the potential that the buyers of our materials won’t pay us as much or pay us at all, for those materials.”

Major shifts in the national recycling ecosystem over the past two years have forced communities to take a much closer look at the environmental goals and economic realities of local recycling programs. The combination of contamination (unacceptable materials) and lack of domestic end-markets for recycled materials has increased the cost to manage local programs across the country. Educating residents about how to properly recycle helps ensure the long-term financial viability of the Lebanon recycling program. 

Managing food waste with Betterbin

The Lebanon Recycling Center also recently began a food waste drop-off program. In addition to recycling instructions, the app provides food waste drop-off program members with guidelines for what is acceptable in the food waste diversion program. Participants can search the database of organics products, learn about the bags required for participation, and avoid confusion about products labeled by a brand as compostable that may not be acceptable in the drop-off program.

Lebanon, leading the way

“We are so excited for Lebanon recycling and food waste drop-off customers to be among some of the first consumers in the country to use the Betterbin app,” said Betterbin Co-founder Michelle Goetsch. “We know consumers want to do the right thing and recycle and compost properly. It’s really frustrating when you simply don’t know what goes in your recycle or compost program. By adopting the app, the City of Lebanon is taking a proactive approach to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

About Betterbin

Betterbin is a Wisconsin-based tech and social impact startup disrupting the traditional waste education scene. Betterbin is an app and data pool that helps consumers properly recycle and compost, while supporting the brands aligned in our mission to support socially and environmentally responsible consumer products and services. Learn more at about.betterbin.app.