DRS demo showcases smart recycling ecosystem for Goa

The stall put up at the Spirit of Goa festival with a live demonstration as part of DRS’s ongoing information, education and communication initiative.

MARGAO
After successfully conducting demonstrations at the Goa Cashew Fest Season 4 in Panaji and at a public outreach event at the Nadora gram sabha recently, a live demonstration of the entire collection ecosystem under the upcoming Goa Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) was showcased in South Goa on Day One of the three-day Spirit of Goa Festival 2026 at the SAG Ground, Colva.
The live demonstrations are part of DRS’s ongoing Information, Education and Communication (IEC) initiative, aimed at building awareness and driving behavioural change around littering and recycling.
Building on earlier outreach efforts, visitors at the Spirit of Goa Festival can experience first-hand how Goa’s DRS works, with a dedicated experience zone showcasing a suite of smart collection technologies designed for real-world deployment across urban and rural settings. The live demonstrations conducted by the DRS team will be available across all three days of the festival, offering visitors multiple opportunities to engage with the system.
The continued public engagement through festivals and community events is a key step in familiarising citizens, tourists and stakeholders with the scheme ahead of its wider rollout across the state.
DRS, led by the Department of Environment & Climate Change, Government of Goa, is a statewide waste recovery initiative that attaches a refundable value to non-biodegradable packaging such as PET bottles, glass bottles, aluminium cans and multi-layered plastics. By incentivising returns, the scheme aims to reduce litter, improve recycling outcomes and create cleaner public spaces while strengthening livelihoods within the informal waste sector.
At the centre of the demonstration are high-volume Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs), engineered for efficient and scalable recovery in public environments. These machines use advanced AI and imaging technologies to identify materials with high accuracy, supported by QR code-based traceability that ensures transparency and prevents misuse. Designed for convenience, the systems include multilingual audio-visual prompts, fast scanning capabilities and integrated digital payment systems that enable instant refunds via UPI.
Among the machines on display is the Reklaim Ace, a high-speed unit capable of identifying items in under 20 milliseconds and handling large volumes with its 900-litre storage capacity. Supporting it is the Reklaim Fastscan, built for quick transactions with the ability to process up to 45 QR codes per minute. For flexible and smaller installations, the Reklaim Mini offers a compact solution with battery backup and multilingual prompts, while Reklaim Go, a handheld device, demonstrates how doorstep and assisted collections can be carried out across communities and commercial establishments.
All machines are made in India and designed to suit local consumption patterns, reflecting the scheme’s focus on scalability and adaptability across Goa’s diverse geography.
Beyond the technology, the demonstration also serves as an educative outreach effort, helping citizens understand the importance of responsible disposal and how simple actions such as returning empty containers can contribute to a larger circular economy. By making returns convenient and rewarding, DRS seeks to drive long-term behavioural change, moving waste management from clean-up to prevention and recovery.