The fourth installment in our ecycler series on Recycle Bins and their set-up: recycle bin materials.
Recycle Bin Materials
Recyclables can be placed in many kinds of bins. There are high-quality stainless steel receptacles, such as those found in commercial spaces and public transit depots. There are bins found in public parks, offices and outside municipal buildings. There are blue ones, green ones, yellow one, red ones and white ones.
Some are made of corrugated plastic, others of formed plastic. Some have separate compartments for different kinds of recyclable items such as aluminum cans, newspaper and bottles. Others are simple bins, like the kinds many cities give to homeowners, in which all recyclables are tossed.
Occasionally, bins are fashioned from wood and may include a lock to prevent animals (bears) from making a mess.
Office paper is usually placed in blue trash-can like bins that a company picks up and removes for shredding.
The type of materials from which a recycle bin is made is determined by the type of environment in which the bin is to be placed.
Whatever the kind of bin a home, office or public facility uses, the important thing is to encourage recycling by placing a container, clearly marked with a recycling symbol, out for people to see in high-traffic areas.
- Bottles and cans should be emptied before placing them in the recycle bin
- Place a trash can near to the recycle bin for convenient disposal of trash in the appropriate receptacle and recyclables in their bin
- Bins should have liners
- Apply short and descriptive labels and signage to and around the bins
- Right materials for right situation