The recycling machines for collecting secondary raw materials in Nizhny Novgorod are no longer in operation.

      On May 13, 2026, at 17:10, the Society reported that the secondary resource collection project "EcoNizhny" has closed in Nizhny Novgorod, according to the organizers.

      The network of vending machines began operating in January 2023. The project was created with private funds. Annual operating costs amounted to about five million rubles. This amount included office and production facility rent for the collection site, regular removal of secondary raw materials, team salaries, equipment maintenance, and rewards for submitted materials.

      Over the past two years, the situation in the field of secondary resource recycling has changed significantly. The cost of secondary raw materials has sharply decreased, while logistics and maintenance expenses have increased. As a result, many similar initiatives found themselves in a situation where collection continues, but revenues are absent. The organizers acknowledged that it is no longer possible to cope with the crisis and decided to close the project.

      Over three years, 18,000 residents of Nizhny Novgorod joined the separate collection system through vending machines. Together, they managed to send over 48 tons of paper for recycling, nearly a million plastic bottles, about 400,000 aluminum cans, as well as over 6,000 glass bottles and jars.

      All collected materials were handed over to recyclers and did not end up in a landfill. According to the organizers' estimates, this helped reduce the carbon footprint by 100 tons of CO2.

      "We honestly tried to make the city cleaner and the attitude towards secondary resources more conscious. The recycling economy today turned out to be stronger than our ambitions — it happens. If the situation changes one day, we will be very happy to inform you about the resumption of the project," wrote the project representatives.

      Let us remind you that in the fall of 2025, information about the closure of eco-points in Nizhny Novgorod and Dzerzhinsk appeared. However, soon the regional Ministry of Ecology reassured that the points would continue to operate. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.