BottleBounty

collection
estimate
depots
home

Inspiration

Recycling is something many people want to do, but the process of collecting bottles, calculating refunds, and finding nearby depots can be inconvenient and confusing. In places like Edmonton, where bottle deposits are common, people often accumulate bottles at home but delay returning them because the process takes time and effort.

Our team wanted to make recycling easier, more rewarding, and more accessible. The idea behind BottleBounty is simple: turn empty bottles into earnings while making the recycling process easier to track and manage. Instead of guessing how much your bottles are worth or where to take them, users can estimate refunds, track their collection, and locate nearby depots all in one place.

We were also inspired by services like SkipTheDepot, which bring bottle depots closer to users. We wanted to explore how a simple digital tool could help people better understand the value of recycling while encouraging more sustainable habits.

What it does

BottleBounty is a web application that helps users manage their bottle recycling process. The platform allows users to:

Estimate their bottle refund value quickly
Track the bottles they have collected
See nearby bottle depot locations
Request pickup services for bottle collections

By combining these features in one interface, the app makes recycling more convenient and transparent. Users can immediately see how much their bottles are worth and organize their recycling activity more efficiently.

How we built it

The project was built as a full-stack web application.

The frontend was designed with a focus on usability and accessibility. We created a clean and responsive user interface that works across devices, allowing users to easily estimate refunds and manage their collections.

The backend handles application logic and data storage. We integrated MongoDB as our database to store bottle collection data and support dynamic features such as tracking collections and calculating refund estimates.

During development we also focused on improving the UI experience, redesigning the interface to make it more visually engaging and intuitive.

Challenges we ran into

One of the main challenges we faced was integrating the frontend with the backend database. Setting up the MongoDB connection and ensuring that the server could properly store and retrieve bottle collection data required debugging and configuration.

Another challenge was improving the user interface to make the application feel polished and intuitive. We iterated several times on the layout, branding, and design to create a more welcoming and modern experience.

Working under time constraints also required us to prioritize core functionality while continuing to refine the design and user experience.

What we learned

Through this project we gained experience working with full-stack development, integrating a frontend interface with a backend server and database. We also learned more about UI/UX design and how small design decisions can significantly impact how users interact with a product.

Additionally, we learned the importance of collaboration, version control, and iterative improvement when building a project under time pressure.