My phone disappeared behind a clear plastic window as three crisp $20 bills slipped silently out of the new EcoATM at Tops Friendly Market in New Paltz. This was an active recycling experience. Though I felt righteous, it was a bit un-nerving as all the functions of the ATM are AI automated, including the voice giving instructions. Still, I was relieved. My iPhone had been stolen and I already had replaced it with an upgrade when it was — shall we say — returned to me a few days later, a miracle. What was I going to do with it? I can get some trade-in money back, I thought. No go, said the guy at Spectrum. “Only at the point of transaction. But there’s a new kiosk at Tops, and I hear it works.”
Though I was annoyed with Spectrum, I thanked their salesperson, the same guy who had sold me my new phone. I had been so distressed that day that I didn’t question the company’s policy, which feels uncaring. But it wasn’t the salesperson’s policy after all, and some money back is better than no money back, right? So, I went to check out the kiosk.
What a sweet kiosk. White and green plastic all over, it looks like a cartoon character has been dressed for the county fair. And LOL, it speaks! I stood in front of it dumbstruck, then headed home to wipe data off my old phone before final farewells. I went online to check the bona fides of EcoATM, got a code and an estimate for my iPhone 11: $60, not bad. But when I returned to the kiosk, I found some of the instructions difficult. The machine is complex with many moving parts, though I am sure a young/er person would be able to “get it” quickly. I eventually asked a Tops employee to help me attach the phone as I hand held my new phone to my ear. I’d called the number on the kiosk for “live” assistance, and, of course, was talking with someone in the Philippines. “How’s the weather there?” I asked.
Then it was done, my stolen and then returned smart phone was swallowed whole, and the crisp bills spat out.
“EcoATM approached us. And because of our sustainability mission, they are a good fit,” says Cheryl Colbert, director of customer experience at Tops Friendly Markets’ corporate headquarters in Buffalo. The company started installing the kiosks in 60 of its 159 stores in March. Though Tops and EcoATM are in a retail partnership, the monetary reward is minimal, says Cheryl; it’s a “green” partnership.
We are all educated by now about electronic waste and know there’s a lot of it in every household. Most devices are not designed to be taken apart and it’s difficult to dispose of them — only about 25% of discarded electronics gets recycled. They cause a lot of environmental damage, leaching chemicals into the landfill and pollutants into the air when burned.
The founder of EcoATM, Mark Bowles, tackled the challenge in 2008. He calls the machine, with its cameras and mirrors, “machine-vision technology.” It can identify 4,000 models of phones and tablets.
Bowles had a 25-year background in semiconductors and microprocessors before launching his recycling business. “I had a whole drawer full of phones and I didn’t know what to do with them,” he said at the time. He sold the business in 2013 for millions and spends his retirement advising young green entrepreneurs.
EcoATM is one of several climate conscious initiatives at Tops Friendly Markets. They recycle tons of used cooking/fryer oil, plastic bags, stretch film, cardboard, newspapers, office paper and organic scraps, a model of diligence and environmental awareness, a model for us all.
Join the family! 
