Deposit-paying vending machines for plastic bottles, cans coming to train stations

NS will place vending machines where travelers can return their plastic bottles at the five largest train stations in the Netherlands from September. Travelers can get their 15 cents deposit per bottle through Tikkie by scanning the QR code on the machine, NS said.

The return machines are also suitable for collecting cans, for which Netherlands residents can also get a deposit back from next year.

"Our ambition is that the stations will be waste-free by 2040," said Anneke de Vries, director of stations at NS. "We are therefore very proud that we can offer travelers this innovative approach for collecting deposits on bottles. It contributes to a waste-free station, offers travelers convenience, and is a service to our tenants by offering it centrally at stations."

NS plans to install 17 machines at the five largest train stations - Amsterdam Central, Utrecht, Central, Rotterdam Central, Den Haag Central, and Eindhoven Central - this year and another 17 next year. Ultimately, NS wants these vending machines at 50 stations in the Netherlands.