Since the beginning of December, reverse vending machines have the option of donating the refund amount to one of the charitable purposes offered – Ukrainian refugee children, disadvantaged seniors, or animal shelters.
Nearly €15,000 has been donated in three weeks. Moreover, statistics show that as Christmas approaches, people are increasingly choosing not to receive a deposit voucher, but to redirect that amount to charity.
Miks Stūrītis, Chairman of the Board of the deposit packaging operator, said: “Four days have remained this year, and we are encouraging people, first of all, to empty the house from the empty deposit packages to start the new year with a clean house, and to do a good job at once. We see how much has been donated to each machine, and now the Vidzeme inhabitants have outperformed everyone, even Rīga [..]."
The possibility of donating deposit fees will become a permanent function available throughout the year. The company also intends to supplement the range of potential donation targets, adding the opportunity to also donate to environmental projects.
