Recycling bin

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Sorted recycling bins in Orchard Road, Singapore NEA recycling bins, Orchard Road.JPG
Sorted recycling bins in Orchard Road, Singapore
Recycling bin of plastic bottles in Tel Aviv, Israel PRwcykl023.jpg
Recycling bin of plastic bottles in Tel Aviv, Israel

A recycling bin (or recycle bin) is a container used to hold recyclables before they are taken to recycling centers. Recycling bins exist in various sizes for use inside and outside of homes, offices, and large public facilities. Separate containers are often provided for paper, tin or aluminum cans, and glass or plastic bottles, with some bins allowing for commingled, mixed recycling of various materials.

Contents

Bins are sometimes in different colors so that the user can differentiate between the types of materials specified for each bin. While there is no universal standard color for recycling, the color blue is commonly used to indicate recycling in public settings. Other regions also use the color green to differentiate between types of recyclable materials. Recycling bins, cans, or wheeled carts (toters) are common elements of municipal kerbside collection programs, which frequently distribute eye-catching bins to encourage participation.

History

The idea of the waste bins is believed to have been conceived by Eugène-René Poubelle (15 April 1831- 15 July 1907), French lawyer who introduced waste containers to Paris. [1] In 1883 “Poubelle law” was established in Paris which implemented the usage of closed containers that separated waste by type. [2] His decree provided for the sorting of waste into three categories: compostable materials, paper and cloth, and glass, which gave way to the idea of separate receptacles according to type of waste. [1]

Eugene Poubelle Eugene Poubelle - Atelier Nadar.jpg
Eugène Poubelle

Recycling has become far more commonplace since the mid 20th century. Originally, the majority of households disposed of their wastes into land. [3] In 1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the War Production Board, which had people and companies focus on prioritizing the distribution of materials to war needs. [4] [5] Nazi Germany also implemented recycling techniques, not motivated by nature conservation but for resource allocation for the war effort. [6] Their recycling policy involved separating waste into three containers: general waste, metal-containing waste, and food waste. [6] Nazi policies were met with resistance by the countries they occupied. Notably, the Dutch cross contaminated the waste to reduce its efficiency. [6]

After World War II, people in the United States were becoming more aware of the landfill effects. In response to public concern, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was formed by President Richard Nixon. [7]

The United States was not the only country concerned about the effects of landfilled waste. In 1972, Dutch activists Babs Riemens-Jagerman and Miep Kuiper-Verkuyl, installed a container in Zeist to collect glass [6] .

In 1974, Missouri, the first recycling bin designed to collect paper, “The Tree Saver”, was introduced. [8] While beneficial in some respects, the "Tree Saver" had limitations, as it required people to transport the materials or leave them in front of their homes for pickup. [9] [8]

Also, in 1974, Jack McGinnes, an American expat living in Toronto who enjoyed roaming the beaches and picking up cans and bottles, [10] founded the Five Foundation, the first curbside multi-material pickup of recycling materials serving Toronto and its suburbs. [11] Today, the blue box recycling system, as well as similar systems are in place in hundreds of cities around the world. [11]

Blue bin recycling bin Lincoln Park, Michigan blue household recycling bin.jpg
Blue bin recycling bin

The modern Blue-Box recycling bin was invented by Jack McGinnes nearly one hundred years after Poubelle’s idea to sort types of waste by type. [12] The proliferation of curbside blue-bin recycling containers coincided with the increase in municipal recycling rates which increased from just over 6% in 1960 to over 35% in 2017. [12]

In 1980, Woodbury, New Jersey became the first municipality to mandate recycling; [13] other cities soon followed, and the blue box curbside recycling system became a staple of late 20th and 21st century life [13] .  As of the end of 1988, there were approximately 1,050 curbside recycling programs in the United States. [14] By the end of 1991, this number had increased by more than 250% to 3,955 programs. [14]

Recycling on the roll

Wheels on recycling bins are a relatively new invention. First introduced by Frank Rotherham Mouldings in 1968, wheels on bins were used to move waste around a factory floor. This idea was then extrapolated to bins across England, and eventually, bins around the world, reducing the labor required to move waste products from one place to another. [15]

Household collection

Types of recycling bins can vary depending on whether they are intended for personal use or public use.

Curbside bin

Sorted curbside bins in Shanghai Sorted waste containers in Shanghai.jpg
Sorted curbside bins in Shanghai

One of the most common types of residential recycling bins is the curbside recycling bin. [16] The city or county where the residence is located usually provides a curbside recycling bin to each household. The actual type of recycling bin can vary;

common colors of residential recycling bins are green [17] or blue [16] in the United States. The size of the curbside recycling bin can also vary depending on the county as well, but is usually around 90-96 gallons (340-363 liters). [16] [17]

Alternative household bins

Other recycling bins in the household are sold privately and can take many different forms [18] These bins vary based on the manufacturer, but are all produced with the goal of collecting recyclable waste. [18]

Public collection

Public recycling bins in Timisoara, Romania Recycling bins Timisoara.jpg
Public recycling bins in Timisoara, Romania

Commonly seen in public places such as parks and universities, public recycling bins can vary in shape and size. [19] These

bins are placed in areas easily accessible to the public to help facilitate recycling. [20] Many of these recycling bins are accompanied by a compost and waste bin [20] to allow the public to conveniently dispose of a variety of waste. The dispersal of these bins help to contribute to the beautification of public areas by encouraging the proper disposal of waste products. [21] Placement of these bins can be done either through private entities or different government agencies. [20]

Safety issues

Though rare, there have been some fatal accidents involving recycling bins. Since its invention, The recycling bin has caused many controversies, including various deaths. In 1995, a twenty-six year old male in California was crushed to death in a recycling bin by a recycling ram. [22] In 2011, a sixty-two year old Ohio woman was found wedged face first in a recycling bin. She fell off of her porch and into the recycling bin and presumably asphyxiated to death. [23] Also in 2011, the body of a forty-four year old man was found in a recycling plant after he was crushed to death crawling into a recycling bin. [24] More recently, in 2022, a Massachusetts woman named Barbara Novaes’s dead body was found inside a recycling bin. [25] Although her death was determined to be accidental, her family has disputed this claim, believing her death to be a homicide. [25]

Alternative uses of the term "recycling bin"

Although more commonly referred to as Trash, the term recycling bin is sometimes used to discard files in computer software systems. [26]

Windows

In 1995, Microsoft released Windows 95, which introduced the recycling bin as a place to store discarded files. [26] Windows 95 became a worldwide sensation that sold over seven million copies in its first five weeks on the market, popularizing the term “recycling bin” in software. [26]

Bins around the world

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waste management</span> Activities and actions required to manage waste from its source to its final disposal

Waste management or waste disposal includes the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes the collection, transport, treatment, and disposal of waste, together with monitoring and regulation of the waste management process and waste-related laws, technologies, and economic mechanisms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Litter</span> Waste products disposed of incorrectly at an inappropriate location

Litter consists of waste products that have been discarded incorrectly, without consent, at an unsuitable location. The word litter can also be used as a verb: to litter means to drop and leave objects, often man-made, such as aluminum cans, paper cups, food wrappers, cardboard boxes or plastic bottles on the ground, and leave them there indefinitely or for other people to dispose of as opposed to disposing of them correctly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illegal dumping</span> Act of dumping waste illegally

Illegal dumping, also called fly dumping or fly tipping (UK), is the dumping of waste illegally instead of using an authorized method such as curbside collection or using an authorized rubbish dump. It is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land, including waste dumped or tipped on a site with no license to accept waste. The United States Environmental Protection Agency developed a “profile” of the typical illegal dumper. Characteristics of offenders include local residents, construction and landscaping contractors, waste removers, scrap yard operators, and automobile and tire repair shops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waste collector</span> Person employed by a public or private enterprise to collect and dispose of waste

A waste collector, also known as a garbage man, garbage collector, trashman, binman or dustman, is a person employed by a public or private enterprise to collect and dispose of municipal solid waste (refuse) and recyclables from residential, commercial, industrial or other collection sites for further processing and waste disposal. Specialised waste collection vehicles featuring an array of automated functions are often deployed to assist waste collectors in reducing collection and transport time and for protection from exposure. Waste and recycling pickup work is physically demanding and usually exposes workers to an occupational hazard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipal solid waste</span> Type of waste consisting of everyday items discarded by the public

Municipal solid waste (MSW), commonly known as trash or garbage in the United States and rubbish in Britain, is a waste type consisting of everyday items that are discarded by the public. "Garbage" can also refer specifically to food waste, as in a garbage disposal; the two are sometimes collected separately. In the European Union, the semantic definition is 'mixed municipal waste,' given waste code 20 03 01 in the European Waste Catalog. Although the waste may originate from a number of sources that has nothing to do with a municipality, the traditional role of municipalities in collecting and managing these kinds of waste have produced the particular etymology 'municipal.'

Pay as you throw (PAYT) is a usage-pricing model for disposing of municipal solid waste. Users are charged a rate based on how much waste they present for collection to the municipality or local authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waste container</span> Container to temporarily store waste

A waste container, also known as a dustbin, rubbish bin, trash can, and garbage can, among other names, is a type of container intended to store waste that is usually made out of metal or plastic. The words "rubbish", "basket" and "bin" are more common in British English usage; "trash" and "can" are more common in American English usage. "Garbage" may refer to food waste specifically or to municipal solid waste in general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerbside collection</span> Household waste collection service

Kerbside collection or curbside collection is a service provided to households, typically in urban and suburban areas, of collecting and disposing of household waste and recyclables. It is usually accomplished by personnel using specially built vehicles to pick up household waste in containers that are acceptable to, or prescribed by, the municipality and are placed on the kerb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green waste</span> Biodegradable waste

Green waste, also known as "biological waste", is any organic waste that can be composted. It is most usually composed of refuse from gardens such as grass clippings or leaves, and domestic or industrial kitchen wastes. Green waste does not include things such as dried leaves, pine straw, or hay. Such materials are rich in carbon and considered "brown wastes," while green wastes contain high concentrations of nitrogen. Green waste can be used to increase the efficiency of many composting operations and can be added to soil to sustain local nutrient cycling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waste sorting</span> Environmental practice of separating waste categories to make it easy to recycle

Waste sorting is the process by which waste is separated into different elements. Waste sorting can occur manually at the household and collected through curbside collection schemes, or automatically separated in materials recovery facilities or mechanical biological treatment systems. Hand sorting was the first method used in the history of waste sorting. Waste can also be sorted in a civic amenity site.

An automated vacuum waste collection system, also known as pneumatic refuse collection, or automated vacuum collection (AVAC), transports waste at a high speed through underground pneumatic tubes to a collection station where it is compacted and sealed in containers. When the container is full, it is transported away and then emptied. The system helps facilitate the separation and recycling of waste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green bin</span>

A green bin is a large, movable, rigid plastic or metal container that contains biodegradable waste or compostable materials as a means to divert waste from landfills. In some local authorities, green bins are also used to contain unsorted municipal solid waste.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycling in Canada</span>

This article outlines the position and trends of recycling in Canada. Since the 1980s, most mid to large municipalities in most provinces have recycling programs, relying on curbside collection with either bins, boxes, or bags. These systems are not standardized, and the specific process differs for each province. Certain provinces have container-deposit systems in place for bottles, cans, and other beverage containers.

There is no national law in the United States that mandates recycling. State and local governments often introduce their own recycling requirements. In 2014, the recycling/composting rate for municipal solid waste in the U.S. was 34.6%. A number of U.S. states, including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Vermont have passed laws that establish deposits or refund values on beverage containers while other jurisdictions rely on recycling goals or landfill bans of recyclable materials.

Recycling in the Netherlands is under the responsibility of local authorities. Different localities implement different systems, and also within a municipality there can be multiple regimes. Municipalities publish a yearly calendar of the pickup dates and the addresses of the waste separation and recycling stations.

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery is a branch of the California Environmental Protection Agency that oversees the state's waste management, recycling, and waste reduction programs. CalRecycle was established in 2010 to replace the California Integrated Waste Management Board. It is known for administering the California Redemption Value (CRV) program, among other responsibilities.

Solid waste policy in the United States is aimed at developing and implementing proper mechanisms to effectively manage solid waste. For solid waste policy to be effective, inputs should come from stakeholders, including citizens, businesses, community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, universities, and other research organizations. These inputs form the basis of policy frameworks that influence solid waste management decisions. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates household, industrial, manufacturing, and commercial solid and hazardous wastes under the 1976 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Effective solid waste management is a cooperative effort involving federal, state, regional, and local entities. Thus, the RCRA's Solid Waste program section D encourages the environmental departments of each state to develop comprehensive plans to manage nonhazardous industrial and municipal solid waste.

The San Francisco Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance is a local municipal ordinance requiring all persons located in San Francisco to separate their recyclables, compostables and landfilled trash and to participate in recycling and composting programs. Passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2009, it became the first local municipal ordinance in the United States to universally require source separation of all organic material, including food residuals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycling in Australia</span> Method of waste management in Australia

Recycling in Australia is a widespread, and comprehensive part of waste management in Australia, with 60% of all waste collected being recycled. Recycling is collected from households, commercial businesses, industries and construction. Despite its prominence, household recycling makes up only a small part (13%) of Australia's total recycling. It generally occurs through kerbside recycling collections such as the commingled recycling bin and food/garden organics recycling bin, drop-off and take-back programs, and various other schemes. Collection and management of household recycling typically falls to local councils, with private contractors collecting commercial, industrial and construction recycling. In addition to local council regulations, legislation and overarching policies are implemented and managed by the state and federal governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City waste management system</span> New York Citys refuse removal system

New York City's waste management system is a refuse removal system primarily run by the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY). The department maintains the waste collection infrastructure and hires public and private contractors who remove the city's waste. For the city's population of more than eight million, The DSNY collects approximately eleven thousand tons a day of garbage, including compostable material and recycling.

References

  1. 1 2 "Le saviez-vous, c'est un normand qui a donné son nom aux poubelles". France 3 Normandie (in French). 2023-11-26. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  2. ↑ "Eugène Poubelle: The Inventor of the Trash Can". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  3. ↑ Magazine, Smithsonian; Eschner, Kat. "How the 1970s Created Recycling As We Know It". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  4. ↑ "When Did Americans Start Recycling?". HISTORY. 2024-02-14. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  5. ↑ "World War II: Recycling and Patriotism". www.baltimorecountymd.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Oldenziel, Ruth; Veenis, Milena (2013-08-01). "The Glass Recycling Container in the Netherlands: Symbol in Times of Scarcity and Abundance, 1939–1978". Contemporary European History. 22 (3): 453–476. doi:10.1017/S0960777313000234. ISSN   0960-7773.
  7. ↑ US EPA, OA. "EPA History (1970-1985)". www.epa.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  8. 1 2 "Discover the History of Recycling in the 20th Century". PepsiCo Recycle Rally. 2021-05-19. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  9. ↑ Gajewski, Teela (2022-05-16). "History of Recycling: Part Two". Saint Louis City Recycles. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  10. ↑ "Jack McGinnis". The Globe and Mail. 2011-04-21. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  11. 1 2 "The Blue Box Story". Durham Sustain Ability (DSA). Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  12. 1 2 Gajewski, Teela (2022-05-16). "History of Recycling: Part Two". Saint Louis City Recycles. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  13. 1 2 tboutsource (2017-04-13). "Exploring the History of Recycling – A Brief Timeline". Jefferson-Recycling. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  14. 1 2 "Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Composting Options: Lessons from 30 Communities (Errata Sheet Included)". nepis.epa.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  15. ↑ Paula (2020-01-23). "Who invented the Wheelie Bin?". WheelieBins Ltd. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  16. 1 2 3 "Blue Bin Recycling". www.lacitysan.org. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  17. 1 2 "City of Houston eGovernment Center". www.houstontx.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  18. 1 2 "Curbside Recycling Bins | Busch Systems USA". Busch Systems. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  19. ↑ "Public Access Recycling Bins | Public Space Recycling Bins | Outdoor Recycling and Trash Bins". www.recyclingbin.com. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  20. 1 2 3 "Resource Conservation | Parks | US EPA". archive.epa.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  21. ↑ "Beautification". Keep America Beautiful. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  22. ↑ https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CCDPHP/DEODC/OHB/FACE/CDPH%20Document%20Library/95CA006.pdf
  23. ↑ "Woman falls into recycling bin, dies inside - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  24. ↑ "Man's death in trash truck ruled accidental". dayton-daily-news. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  25. 1 2 "Death of Medford woman found in recycling bin ruled accidental, family does not accept ME's finding". Boston 25 News. 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  26. 1 2 3 "Launch of Windows 95". Stories. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
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