5 Tips For Effective Recycling In Public Spaces
29 November 2023
The environmental impact of recycling is staggering.
According to Edie, an industry-leading sustainability brand, 222.2 millions of UK waste was thrown away in 2018. A large portion of this waste comes from households and commercial industries. Roughly 22.8% of this waste is sent to landfill.Why is this an issue?
Improper waste disposal ends up in landfill. This can consist of food, plastics and industrial material. The issue is that landfill produces methane. This type of gas is potent and can negatively affect air quality – it reduces the amount of oxygen in the air and is 80 times more harmful than carbon dioxide.
The way of tackling this is through correct and effective waste segregation. At Wybone, we’re big believers in cooperation and environmental change.
Why recycling is important
Not only can recycling provide proper waste segregation that helps take the pressure off landfills and reduce the impact of pollution, but it also helps reduce the use of raw materials, preserving natural materials like minerals and forests. From a manufacturing point of view, it’s allowed us to reuse and repurpose materials. Overall, recycling is important because it contributes to a healthier, greener world.
With that being said, here are 5 tips for effective recycling in public spaces:
1. Placement
To get the most out of your recycling initiative, it’s best to be strategic about where to place recycling bins. For example, before selecting and purchasing the right bins, it’s important to have a rough idea of where these bins will be placed first in order maximise their use.
Frankly speaking, you’ll want to place bins in highly dense areas. If the recycling bins will be for a town or city, place the bins in a busy area that’s walking distance from food shops and takeaways. Car parks are also a good spot too, as those visiting the area or leaving work will have a final chance to dispose of any recycling waste they’ve been carrying around with them. Finally, parks are also a popular spot with the general public; people will often have food packaging from picnics or drink bottles to dispose of.
Ample planning needs to go into the placement of recycling bins. That’s why we often include an FAQ section on our product pages that gives suggestions of where to place the particular bin.
2. Signage
Sometimes clear signage is all you need to encourage the public to recycle more. Without it, it can cause confusion. And the public can end up using the bin for any given purpose beyond recycling. The failure to make each bin’s purpose clear contributes to (easily avoidable) issues further down the line, as different types of litter can end up mixing together in the same unit. Not only will this end up in landfill, but it can cause cross-contamination; ultimately contaminating recycling schemes, making recycled goods not fit for purpose.
At Wybone, the choice of including artwork signage is as important to us as it is to you. Depending on the style of the bin and your preference, we use perspex plates and vinyl artwork. Perspex plates are known for being 17 times stronger than glass with half the weight. Vinyl has chemical and corrosion-resistance properties. Both options work in tandem with the already-existing durability of the recycling bins themselves.
3. Initiatives
One of the best ways to build encouragement is through social campaigns. And through the years, there have been plenty of recycling schemes to influence the public to recycle effectively. We’re proud to have been a part of such schemes.
Hubbub
Hubbub is an award-winning charity that focuses on decisive action to help contribute to a greener world. The recycling issue is something they’re familiar with, which led to #LeedsByExample, an initiative to encourage the people of Leeds to correctly dispose of plastic bottles, cans and coffee cups. Originally created by Hubbub, it’s now run by Leeds City Council.
Chorley Council
In accordance with Chorley Council’s climate change and recycling strategy, we supplied 18 of our MLB/244Rs. As the new initiative would be focused on reducing food waste and increasing recycling waste, a dual litter bin was needed – one side would be recycling only, while the other side would be litter only. Both compartments were separated by using a blue coating for the recycling stream and black for the food waste stream, with clear signage for the public to see.
By placing these bins in high footfall areas like car parks, Astley Park and the bus and train station, 70,000 litres of recyclable material was collected over the course of 6 months, making the initiative a huge success.
Radley College
For a number of years, we’ve supplied our popular C-Bin Double Recycling Bins to Radley College in Oxfordshire to support them with their push on recycling. It’s an ongoing relationship we’re proud of.
College can be pivotal years for development in teenagers who are nearing adulthood, so introducing recycling methods into this environment should help young students understand the importance of it and build effective habits that they can carry forward with them.
4. Upkeep
Recycling bins are available in a variety of materials, whether it’s galvanised steel, glass fibre composite or plastic, each style of bin serves its own purpose for indoor and outdoor settings. At Wybone, all our recycling bins are made with durability and longevity in mind, minimising the need for repair or cleaning.
However, if the area (or the bin itself) isn’t regularly cleaned, this will likely deter the public from using the bin properly, if at all. By upkeeping public recycling bins, these are just a few benefits it can offer:
Reduces overflowing
Prevents odour
Improves the look of the bin
5. Using Smart Bins
As we continue to head into a new technological age, industries have been able to revolutionise their processes and products, the waste management sector being no exception. Mr. Fill is one such company that’s been able to push their smart solar compacting bin to the waste market, redefining the way the public recycles. We’re proud to be the UK’s first sole distributor of this exciting new technology.
The Mr. Fill unit boasts many smart features that help contribute to the drive for recycling. Unlike standard litter bins, the Mr. Fill unit has the option of a personalised ‘thank you’ message for the public when disposing of their waste. Sometimes it’s the little things that can make a difference, and we believe it’s a nice touch.
One of the most notable features of the bin, however, is the Smart City Manager. It’s a monitoring system that registers the status and usage of the bin, informing operatives how often the bin is being used and when it needs emptying. Keeping an eye on the data means you can move the bin around until it’s collecting high amounts of recycling waste in areas with high footfall.
Rounding Things Off
In this article, we’ve explored the issues that rise from improper recycling methods, highlighting the importance of recycling and how it’s paramount in creating a greener world through effective environmental change.
That’s why we wanted to provide 5 tips for effective recycling in public spaces. As one last recap, these include:
The importance of litter bin placement
Proper signage on recycling bins
Initiatives that drive change
Keeping recycling bins tidy
Smart bins that help drive recycling
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