Advice Recycling Street bins

[normanlives8]

Hi all,
I’m currently studying product design at Ashby School. I am in year 13 and at this stage we are required to get an external client to design a product for. My client set me a brief as follows.

Design a new rubbish bin that can be installed on busy high streets in towns and cities
It needs to be:
• Noticeable and recognizable, to grab attention so you know it's there. Like a post box does.
• It will be free standing and accessible from all sides
• It needs to have 3 different compartments for recycling of drinks cans, drinks bottles and then general rubbish.
• This is a new idea so the bin somehow needs to make sure people know how to use it.
The council will then be able to recycle a large amount of drinks packaging disposed of on the high street.

What would be helpful is if some people filled out a questionnaire so I can get some thoughts from the general public. So if everyone could copy and paste the questionnaire below and reply with their answers that would be great.

Questionnaire
Would you spend an extra few seconds to think about where place your rubbish in a specific recycling slot (in the bin)?

What colours would you associate with:

• Metal
• Plastic
• Paper
• General Rubbish

Would colour coding alone suit your ability to know where to place you rubbish?

What sorts of rubbish are you more likely to throw away in the street?

Are there any specific features the bins should have?

I would also be grateful if there were any other comments anyone has.
Thanks

[Wobs]

Hi and welcome.

There are standard colours for recycle bins, but they do vary for where in the world you are in practise.

Looking at our local industrial catalogue, we have bins for:
Plastic - yellow
Metal - red
Glass - green
Paper - blue.

I've seen other catalogues with different colours, so the best thing to do will be to look in your town and see any other bins and the colours they use. Could be your local authority, or some well run business.

At our company, we have:
Plastic - yellow
Cardboard - blue
Metals - green
General waste - red

The key of course is to make it as clear as possible, with clear labels, including pictures.

Personally, I like the entire bin to be the selected colour, and a huge label saying what it is, so there are no excuses. Remember, you have to work to the lowest denominator ie. those that are either lazy or not paying attention to what it needed. Leave them with the minimum of excuse with the best value for money invested in your project.

For street waste, our local council have plastic bottles, paper/cardboard and cans I think. Cans are must of course.

For street bins, an easy hole at the side near the top is normal, so they don't have to touch a lid, and it isn't open at the top for the rain to get in.

Good look!

[PaulM]

The RecycleNow campaign is trying to standardise colours. Paper is blue, plastics - red, cans - grey, glass - a greeny/blue and non-recyclable rubbish = white.

You can download material icons from RecycleNow Partners but you'll need to log on and it may only recognise a local authority email address.

Hope that helps.

Paul

[Birsob]

Questionnaire
Would you spend an extra few seconds to think about where place your rubbish in a specific recycling slot (in the bin)?

What colours would you associate with:

• Metal - Blue
• Plastic - Yellow
• Paper - Green
• General Rubbish - Black

Would colour coding alone suit your ability to know where to place you rubbish?
No, it would help but i think logos or clear writing would help
What sorts of rubbish are you more likely to throw away in the street?
Snack packaging
Are there any specific features the bins should have?
Wheels so it can be moved
I would also be grateful if there were any other comments anyone has.