ATLAS ECOPOD: A Malaysian Innovation, Recognised by the World
5. Design Kancils [5.12 Innovation in Design]
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Links:
Product/Service:
ATLAS Vending ECOPOD
Client:
Etika Group of Companies
Brief:
For decades, vending machines encouraged consumption but contributed to waste. ATLAS asked: what if vending could solve the plastic crisis instead? That led to ECOPOD — a Made-in-Malaysia innovation merging design, tech, and sustainability into one smart system. With 2.5 M tonnes of waste but only 24% recycled, change had to feel instant and rewarding. Conventional RVMs failed: too bulky for Malaysia’s tight spaces, too slow to gratify users. ATLAS solved both by creating a compact, instantly rewarding machine. ECOPOD turned consumption into contribution — where every recycled bottle or can closes the loop between action and reward.
Solution:
ECOPOD redefined the RVM category: slim, smart, continuous. Recognised by Guinness World Records as the thinnest (32 cm), it fits even narrow corridors. AI-powered recognition detects Etika products and instantly rewards users. A built-in sales vending machine enables a Recycle → Reward → Repurchase loop, with dual compartments compacting 214 cans and 70 PET bottles. Locally built and endorsed by YB Nik Nazmi, it aligns with Malaysia’s Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2030. Deployed in high-traffic, visible areas, ECOPOD became a policy-backed sustainability service. Results: 100 units (50 PepsiCo + 50 SWCorp), RM 4.07 M media, 93% PET target in two weeks, 11,906 kg CO₂ saved monthly per 100 units.
