Recyclemap.ru — A User-Centered Recycling Map to Promote Environmental Action

  • Overview

    In 2011, Russia had no official recycling system, and finding reliable recycling points was nearly impossible for individuals. I founded Recyclemap.ru to bridge this gap, starting as a small page on Greenpeace Russia's website. Over time, I led its evolution into an independent platform with a sophisticated database, mobile version, and a community of over 90,000 monthly users across 100+ cities.

  • My Role

    Founder
    UX researcher and community manager
    Stakeholder communicator (including C-level management)

    Coordinator of development with GIS-focused engineers and hundreds of volunteers

  • The Problem

    Lack of reliable recycling information: Citizens wanted to recycle but had no single trustworthy source to find recycling points.

    Fragmented data: Available information was outdated, unclear, or missing.

    Disconnected stakeholders: Recycling businesses were unaware of public demand and didn’t prioritize accessibility.

Process

Research

  • Initial Testing:

    • The first version was an MVP — a simple webpage linked to a manually updated Google spreadsheet.

    • Purpose: Test demand and initiate a dialogue with users.

  • User Feedback Collection:

    • General users:

      • Surveys focused on overall experience and what features would motivate participation.

      • Result: Added features like “favorite points,” easier commenting, and simplified reporting of issues.

    • Moderators (super-users):

      • More in-depth surveys and open-ended questions.

      • Result: We added database fields requested by moderators and features for easier monitoring (highlighted points needing review, notification of new comments).

    • Businesses:

      • Separate survey to understand their pain points.

      • Result: We enabled a “company account” system where businesses could manage multiple recycling locations under one profile and improved communication tools between companies and users.

Development

We collaborated with external GIS developers to build a flexible database architecture.

Transitioned from a simple page to a full-fledged platform with a mobile-optimized version.

Built systems to highlight data requiring moderation and automate parts of data maintenance.

Outcome

  • Platform growth:

    • Expanded from 1 city to over 100 cities.

    • Increased speed of launching new cities (from 3 to 10 per year).

    • Unique monthly users doubled after the platform relaunch.

  • Community engagement:

    • Volunteer moderators became highly active, helping maintain data quality.

    • The fundraising button on the map enabled organic donations without promotion.

  • Sustainability:

“ People who are angry with you are on your side; they are angry because they want your product to work.”