DRS - Partner App
An operational platform within the DRS ecosystem designed to help collection agents manage device health, manual returns, earnings tracking, and pickup coordination efficiently in real-world conditions.
Key Impact
1,60,000+ Bottles Recycled
Ensured bottles were returned and processed instead of ending in landfills.
70–80% Less Friction
Simplified operations by replacing fragmented, manual workflows.
Better Partner Experience
Made day-to-day tasks clearer, faster, and more reliable for collection agents.
Transparent Earnings
Gave collection agents real-time visibility into their incentives and payouts.
Project Context
The Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) encourages recycling by attaching a refundable deposit to beverage containers. When consumers return used bottles through Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) or Soundboxes, they receive their deposit back. This initiative reduces waste and promotes responsible disposal.
Buy
Use
Return
Get Refund
First Pilot Location
Kedarnath Temple trek, Uttarakhand
Partners
Uttarakhand Government and Recykal
// Machines used for Item Collections
Recycling doesn't always fail because people don't care.
It sometimes fails when systems are hard to operate.
✦ INSIGHT
On-Ground Discovery
// Images from the Pilot Project
// Real Problems on the Ground
1. Manual Machine Checks
Agents had to physically visit machines just to know their status.
2. No Fill-Level Visibility
No way to know when containers were about to reach capacity.
3. Unclear Earnings
Earnings were tracked manually, leading to confusion and mistrust.
4. Heavy Co-ordination Overhead
Pickup scheduling relied on constant back-and-forth phone calls.
5. Fragmented Tracking
Collections happened, but tracking across stages was disconnected.
6. No Reliable Fallback
Edge cases like downtime had no smooth alternative process.
✦ KEY REALIZATION
The system wasn't broken. It was disconnected.
Solution Approach
Instead of solving problems individually,
we designed a unified operational layer for agents
// Real Problems on the Ground
Manage collections
Allow agents to continue collections even during device failures through a structured manual return process.
Real-Time Device Monitoring
Provide proactive monitoring of device health, capacity, and errors to reduce downtime.
Earnings Transparency
Introduce a real-time handling fee tracker to eliminate confusion around earnings.
Easier Pickup Scheduling
Replace phone-based pickup coordination with a structured scheduling interface.
Key Flows & Design Breakdown
Control Center - Home Screen
Device Monitoring
Earning Transparency
Manage Collection (Scan Item)
We didn't just design an app
We made a complex system easier to run.
✦ INSIGHT
Testing & Validations
// Images from the user testing
// Testing Method
On-ground Shadowing
Observed agents in real use and spoke with them to understand their challenges and feedback.
Metrics Tracking
Measured time saved, task completion, and satisfaction to evaluate real impact.
The app was battle-tested during the Kedarnath pilot, where collection agents used it daily in challenging mountain terrain. Real-world feedback shaped every iteration, ensuring the tool worked when it mattered most.
// The Deeper Impact
Operational Efficiency
Automation reduced manual processing time by 70%, allowing recyclers to focus on core business activities and scale operations.
Compliance Accuracy
50% reduction in submission errors improved regulatory compliance and strengthened relationships with brand partners.
User Satisfaction
90% user satisfaction score led to increased platform adoption and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
Business Relationships
Enhanced recycler experience strengthened partnerships and positioned Recykal as the preferred EPR compliance platform.