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EASTON, Pa. -- Students returning to Lafayette College will notice a new addition. A "reverse vending machine" aims to help the environment and make recycling fun.

"It is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania," said Samantha Smith, sustainability outreach and engagement manager at Lafayette.

The new machine recycles plastic bottles and cans, crushing them down like a pancake.

It can hold way more than a normal recycling bin, reducing the number of bags needed and cutting down on truck trips carrying recyclable materials.

"Truck trips use a lot of fuel, and as part of our de-carbonization efforts as a college, our goal is to be carbon neutral by 2035," Smith said.

The machine perforates plastic bottles so the liquids evaporate, increasing the recyclability of the materials and decreasing contamination.

"It has a lot of sensors and different technology that allows it to know exactly what you're putting in it," Smith said. "Students might be more likely to learn about what is recyclable and what's not when they stick random things in this machine in it and it kind of spits it back out."

The machine prints receipts, which can be totally customized by the Office of Sustainability, allowing for endless possibilities for contests and prizes.

"We can incorporate challenges and competitions into that main screen," Smith said.

It's still being programmed, but soon different groups or teams can compete for higher recycling rates.

"I think it just makes recycling more fun, and it's more intuitive," said Emily Bone, an environmental science major at Lafayette. "Hopefully, we can get more engagement with recycling on campus, so I'm really excited to see that and maybe see a change in behavior."

The machine is in Farinon Student Center, one of the most frequented spots at Lafayette. Similar ones are popping up on college campuses around the country.

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