PURCHASE, N.Y. — Rite Aid Corp. plans to deploy Dream Machine bottle and can recycling kiosks as part of a recycling initiative by PepsiCo and Waste Management Inc.

The drug store chain is one of the first national retailers to sign on to the program, starting with 150 kiosks in its North Carolina locations.

Under the initiative, PepsiCo and Waste Management Inc. have partnered to roll out the Dream Machine recycling kiosks in high-traffic areas, including such public venues as gas stations, stadiums and public parks, as well as retail sites. More than 50 machines are being rolled out in southern California, in addition to the deployment at Rite Aid stores.

The Dream Machine kiosks are computerized receptacles with a personal reward system that allows consumers to collect and redeem points for each bottle or can they recycle in the kiosk. The kiosks are provided by GreenOps a subsidiary of Waste Management Inc., and operated by Greenopolis, which the company said is the first interactive recycling system that rewards people for recycling their beverage containers by allowing them to receive awards when they visit www.greenopolis.com.

PepsiCo said the Dream Machine recycling initiative is aimed at furthering its goal of increasing the U.S. beverage container recycling rate from 34% to 50% by 2018. The beverage giant said it leads the industry by incorporating 10% recycled plastic in soft drink containers in the United States. Less than a third of plastic beverage containers are being recycled each year, and only 12% of public spaces are equipped with recycling receptacles, according to the company.

PepsiCo has also entered into a partnership with Keep America Beautiful (KAB) to encourage community involvement in the program by engaging nearly 600 local KAB affiliate organizations in communities nationwide.

"It takes only a small change in behavior to make a big difference for our planet. If every household in the U.S. recycled just three more plastic bottles a month, we could divert more than 23 million pounds of plastic from our landfills each month and increase the amount of recycled plastic used to manufacture new bottles," PepsiCo’s Jeremy Cage, head of the Dream Machine recycling effort, said in a statement.

The multiyear agreement with Waste Management Inc. enables the local capture and recycling of PET and Aluminum, using technology-enabled and nontechnology-enabled Dream Machines, the companies said.

"As the largest recycler in North America, we know that convenience is key to increasing capture rates of recyclable materials, especially in public spaces," commented David Aardsma, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Waste Management Inc. "Our investment in innovative recycling technologies like GreenOps furthers our goal of providing customers with cost-efficient, environmental solutions and improving recycling rates across the country."