AAcollect
battery packaging to support recycling
In Switzerland, a quarter of all single-use batteries sold are disposed of in household waste, despite the ban. AAcollect offers a solution to this problem.
Empty batteries are not an every day occurance in housholds and are therefore rarley taken individually for recycling or consistently collected. If a battery is lying around, the question arises whether it is still full or empty.
AAcollect uses the free space in the packaging, created by removing a full battery, to collect the empty ones. As soon as the packaging is filled with empty batteries, users are encouraged to take them to the collection point.
year
2021
context
Zürich University
of the Arts
In cooperation with Claudia Zanetti (ZHdK)
applied skills
research
concept development
teamwork
CMF (colour, material and finish)
graphic design
model and prototype construction
screen printing
creating and customizing packaging patterns
plotting
Making what already exists usable
Removing a battery from its packaging creates free space. This is used by AAcollect to collect empty batteries. By inserting the empty battery through an opening at the top of the box, the slider in the box moves to the right, showing how many full batteries are left. The empty batteries can be collected directly when they are replaced and there is no risk of confusion with the full ones.
Concept
This project considers all the steps that battery packaging goes through from the point of sale to the point of return:
1 sale
unpack, present, (store), advertise, attract attention, take off the shelf, pay
2 use
open, take out a battery, close, collect empty batteries
3 collection
bring back, give away, collect, pack for transport
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Encouraging recycling
The resealable flap allows batteries to be removed from the packaging. Empty batteries are inserted through the round opening at the top of the packaging. Circular attached flaps and the positioning of the opening prevent the batteries from falling out again. Once the packaging is filled with empty batteries, the recycling symbol will appear on the slider to encourage return.
Packaging designed for recycling
Consisting of non-plasticized cardboard, the packaging, which consists of two parts, can be separated from the batteries by the recycling company or at the collection point and can also be recycled.
Reduced and comprehensive
Minimal information on the packaging can be grasped quickly.
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Graphic design
The graphic on the packaging creates a clear recognition value and sets it apart from conventional battery packaging. At the same time, the graphic elements ensure that the function of the packaging is understandable without further explanations.
An empty battery symbol (1) and one of a full battery (2) show where the respective batteries are placed in the packaging. The fully filled black area (3) on the right also indicates the position of the full batteries. The tapered viewing window (4) and the arrow (5) on the slide indicate the direction in which the packaging is to be emptied and then filled with to be recycled batteries.
