Positioning of bins

Our experience shows most people use the bin nearest to them and want recycling to be easy and convenient.

Here are couple of our top tips to position your bins for maximum collection:

Think about the user journey and where cups are likely to be thrown away. Cup recycling worked well in Leeds around the train station, where there were large numbers of people exiting the station in the morning who were carrying a cup.

Choose a location where the same people can see the same messages again and again, meaning they become more likely to recycle. (e.g. commuters who use the same station each morning).

Pair cup recycling bins with a general waste bin (and ideally a recycling bin). This ensures people always have the option to put waste in the right place.

Make sure bins are visible from afar. This gives people more time to take in messaging before arriving at the bin, where they decide whether they will recycle their cup or not.

Make sure bins stand out and it’s really clear what they collect. People pay less attention when in a rush or in a crowded place. That’s why contamination rates generally get worse when footfall increases.

Remove any additional barrier to using recycling bins. People are less likely to recycle when they have to touch a dirty bin handle or have to go out of the way to recycle, for example.

Hubbub trials have found that the top performing on street bins are visible from afar, often on the edge of the pavement with bright colours and messaging helping them to standing out.