Tech.eu writes that b:bot robots are able to process plastic bottles on spot at strategic points, without needing to further transport the waste by trucks, thus helping reduce the carbon footprint of transport.

The French company's recycling robots are placed on roads and at shopping centers, among a number of other places, and users who "feed" the automated workers can choose to be rewarded for the effort of bringing plastic or to donate the earnings.

With the volume of plastic being reduced by 90% with the help of the smart mechanical workers, company officials say that "its value is tripled, eight recycling steps are eliminated and the carbon footprint of the process is reduced dramatically, all in a few seconds."

The startup was founded back in 2021 and now has more than 500 robots actively processing plastic waste and turning it into useful materials for future products. 130 million plastic bottles have been processed so far.

With the help of the 20 million euros investment, b:bot plans to double the number of robots by the end of this year, while expanding to other markets and allowing its mechanical workforce to chew on aluminum cans next.

Benoit Paget, President and Founder of b:bot said that "in the face of a global rPET market with a significant growth outlook but insufficient capacity, b:bot aims to become a major player in collection and recycling solutions."