The City of Avalon partners with Olyns to launch California’s first city-sponsored recycling kiosk, giving residents and visitors convenient access to the state’s bottle deposit program - without leaving the island.
Avalon, CA – [June 3, 2025] – The City of Avalon has partnered with Olyns, a Silicon Valley company using AI technology to modernize recycling, to launch California’s first municipality-sponsored reverse vending kiosk. The Olyns Cube - a compact, AI-powered recycling machine - now provides Catalina Island residents and visitors with convenient, on-the-spot redemption for CRV (California Redemption Value) containers.
Until now, Catalina Island residents had no access to CRV redemption without traveling to the mainland - a longstanding gap Avalon is now addressing with smart infrastructure that serves both its residents and more than one million annual visitors. The Cube also offers a new way for Avalon’s businesses to connect with the community and visitors through its built-in 55 inch digital screen, which displays local advertising. This media revenue helps fund the Cube’s operations - creating a financially sustainable model that supports recycling access while boosting local commerce.
This installation marks several key milestones, with Avalon leading the way as the first municipality in the U.S. to sponsor an Olyns Cube—a role traditionally filled by major retailers. It’s also the first island location for the company’s AI-powered recycling technology and its first CRV redemption Cube in Southern California. By stepping up to bring this innovation to the island, Avalon is helping to kickstart Olyns’ broader expansion across California. With more than 60 Cubes already operating in the San Francisco Bay Area, Olyns plans to deploy over 300 statewide by the end of 2025, creating a smart, ad-supported recycling network that increases access and impact. Funding for the Cube was provided by the City of Avalon, reflecting its commitment to sustainability and equitable access. The Cube is located at the front entrance of Vons grocery store, which has donated the space and is covering the Cube’s electricity costs.
” This is a cost-effective way for our city to expand recycling access for Catalina Island residents,” said Ann Marshall, Mayor of Avalon. “We’re proud to be the first municipality in the U.S. to bring this innovative solution to our community. After two decades without local bottle deposit redemption, we’re pleased to restore that access for our residents.”
Powered by AI and built for efficiency, the Olyns Cube automatically sorts containers into separate bins for plastic, aluminum, and glass at the point of deposit. This smart sorting reduces contamination and enables a 99% material recovery rate - helping divert plastic from landfills and the environment, while boosting the supply of high-quality recycled plastic (rPET) and advancing circularity in consumer packaging. CR&R Environmental Services has been contracted to service the Cube, ensuring regular and efficient collection of materials.
“This is just the beginning of our Southern California rollout - and Avalon is leading the way,” said Philip Stanger, CEO and Co-founder of Olyns. “With hundreds more Cubes planned across the state, we’re building the next generation of recycling infrastructure: smart, scalable, and ready for every community. This partnership shows how local governments can play a pivotal role in expanding access - and we’re excited to scale this model statewide.”
Olyns currently operates over 60 Cubes across California at leading retail locations such as Safeway and Savemart, and is on track to expand to more than 300 Cubes by the end of 2025. The company is the recipient of Recycling Innovation Grants (RIG) from CalRecycle, further validating its leadership in scalable, technology-forward recycling solutions.
A ribbon cutting ceremony commemorating the Avalon launch was held at 12:00 PM on Tuesday June 3rd, 2025, with Mayor Ann Marshall, Olyns Co-founder John Buchowski, and representatives from Vons and CR&R in attendance.
About Olyns
Olyns is reinventing recycling through technology, design, and data. The company’s flagship product, the Olyns Cube, is an AI-powered reverse vending machine that collects recyclable containers, dispenses rewards, and displays digital advertising content. With sorting technology that enables a 99% material recovery rate, Olyns dramatically reduces the amount of plastic that ends up in nature, landfills and incinerators, increases the supply of high-quality recycled materials, and supports the transition to circular packaging. By using advertising revenue to help fund recycling operations, Olyns’ platform is financially sustainable and scalable. With over 60 Cubes already deployed at major retailers across California, and more than 300 planned by the end of 2025, Olyns is building a modern recycling infrastructure that advances circularity, reduces waste, and rewards participation. Backed by Recycling Innovation Grants from CalRecycle, Olyns is where smart tech meets environmental impact, making recycling easy, accessible, and rewarding wherever people shop, live, or visit.
For more information, visit www.olyns.com
About the City of Avalon
The City of Avalon is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island, located approximately 22 miles off the coast of Southern California. With a permanent population of around 4,000 residents and over one million annual visitors, Avalon serves as a vibrant hub for tourism, offering a blend of natural beauty, recreational activities, and cultural heritage. The city's economy is primarily driven by tourism, and it is committed to sustainable practices and community development.Governed by an elected council, Avalon provides essential services to its residents and strives to enhance the quality of life on the island
For more information, visit www.cityofavalon.gov.
Media Contact:
Lise Murphy
press@olyns.com
310.633.4024
The City of Avalon partners with Olyns to launch California’s first city-sponsored recycling kiosk, giving residents and visitors convenient access to the state’s bottle deposit program - without leaving the island.
Avalon, CA – [June 3, 2025] – The City of Avalon has partnered with Olyns, a Silicon Valley company using AI technology to modernize recycling, to launch California’s first municipality-sponsored reverse vending kiosk. The Olyns Cube - a compact, AI-powered recycling machine - now provides Catalina Island residents and visitors with convenient, on-the-spot redemption for CRV (California Redemption Value) containers.
Until now, Catalina Island residents had no access to CRV redemption without traveling to the mainland - a longstanding gap Avalon is now addressing with smart infrastructure that serves both its residents and more than one million annual visitors. The Cube also offers a new way for Avalon’s businesses to connect with the community and visitors through its built-in 55 inch digital screen, which displays local advertising. This media revenue helps fund the Cube’s operations - creating a financially sustainable model that supports recycling access while boosting local commerce.
This installation marks several key milestones, with Avalon leading the way as the first municipality in the U.S. to sponsor an Olyns Cube—a role traditionally filled by major retailers. It’s also the first island location for the company’s AI-powered recycling technology and its first CRV redemption Cube in Southern California. By stepping up to bring this innovation to the island, Avalon is helping to kickstart Olyns’ broader expansion across California. With more than 60 Cubes already operating in the San Francisco Bay Area, Olyns plans to deploy over 300 statewide by the end of 2025, creating a smart, ad-supported recycling network that increases access and impact. Funding for the Cube was provided by the City of Avalon, reflecting its commitment to sustainability and equitable access. The Cube is located at the front entrance of Vons grocery store, which has donated the space and is covering the Cube’s electricity costs.
” This is a cost-effective way for our city to expand recycling access for Catalina Island residents,” said Ann Marshall, Mayor of Avalon. “We’re proud to be the first municipality in the U.S. to bring this innovative solution to our community. After two decades without local bottle deposit redemption, we’re pleased to restore that access for our residents.”
Powered by AI and built for efficiency, the Olyns Cube automatically sorts containers into separate bins for plastic, aluminum, and glass at the point of deposit. This smart sorting reduces contamination and enables a 99% material recovery rate - helping divert plastic from landfills and the environment, while boosting the supply of high-quality recycled plastic (rPET) and advancing circularity in consumer packaging. CR&R Environmental Services has been contracted to service the Cube, ensuring regular and efficient collection of materials.
“This is just the beginning of our Southern California rollout - and Avalon is leading the way,” said Philip Stanger, CEO and Co-founder of Olyns. “With hundreds more Cubes planned across the state, we’re building the next generation of recycling infrastructure: smart, scalable, and ready for every community. This partnership shows how local governments can play a pivotal role in expanding access - and we’re excited to scale this model statewide.”
Olyns currently operates over 60 Cubes across California at leading retail locations such as Safeway and Savemart, and is on track to expand to more than 300 Cubes by the end of 2025. The company is the recipient of Recycling Innovation Grants (RIG) from CalRecycle, further validating its leadership in scalable, technology-forward recycling solutions.
A ribbon cutting ceremony commemorating the Avalon launch was held at 12:00 PM on Tuesday June 3rd, 2025, with Mayor Ann Marshall, Olyns Co-founder John Buchowski, and representatives from Vons and CR&R in attendance.
About Olyns
Olyns is reinventing recycling through technology, design, and data. The company’s flagship product, the Olyns Cube, is an AI-powered reverse vending machine that collects recyclable containers, dispenses rewards, and displays digital advertising content. With sorting technology that enables a 99% material recovery rate, Olyns dramatically reduces the amount of plastic that ends up in nature, landfills and incinerators, increases the supply of high-quality recycled materials, and supports the transition to circular packaging. By using advertising revenue to help fund recycling operations, Olyns’ platform is financially sustainable and scalable. With over 60 Cubes already deployed at major retailers across California, and more than 300 planned by the end of 2025, Olyns is building a modern recycling infrastructure that advances circularity, reduces waste, and rewards participation. Backed by Recycling Innovation Grants from CalRecycle, Olyns is where smart tech meets environmental impact, making recycling easy, accessible, and rewarding wherever people shop, live, or visit.
For more information, visit www.olyns.com
About the City of Avalon
The City of Avalon is the only incorporated city on Santa Catalina Island, located approximately 22 miles off the coast of Southern California. With a permanent population of around 4,000 residents and over one million annual visitors, Avalon serves as a vibrant hub for tourism, offering a blend of natural beauty, recreational activities, and cultural heritage. The city's economy is primarily driven by tourism, and it is committed to sustainable practices and community development.Governed by an elected council, Avalon provides essential services to its residents and strives to enhance the quality of life on the island
For more information, visit www.cityofavalon.gov.
Media Contact:
Lise Murphy
press@olyns.com
310.633.4024
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