In 2018, China made the enormous decision to stop taking foreign waste for recycling. This ‘ban’ is part of the tough new restrictions imposed by China under the Blue Sky/National Sword program to reduce the amount of contaminated materials entering the country. Australia was one of the countries affected by this ban, triggering a nationwide waste crisis.
Australians are generally pretty great recyclers. However, in the aftermath of China’s waste ban, confidence in our waste system has been somewhat dented. Many waste management companies have been left with no other alternative than to stockpile recyclables or send them straight to landfill.
The Move Towards a Circular Economy
Fortunately, it’s not all bad news! Recently the Australian Government declared that by mid-2022, the exporting of waste products will be completely banned. Finally, the spotlight is shining on Australia’s waste industry, prompting some very exciting changes ahead.
Some of the proposed solutions on the table so far – such as a revised rubbish collection strategy – focus on improving the quality of our recycling. Currently, public recycling bins contain a mix of plastics, paper, glass, and aluminium. Recyclables become ‘contaminated’ when mixed with broken glass or general rubbish. As more rubbish is processed locally, keys to combatting the contamination problem will be education and source separation.
Refined separation methods will reduce costs associated with processing our waste, bump up its value and ensure the streams are clean enough – even for China’s strict new contamination standards. It also opens up opportunities for the move towards a circular economy.
Read on for ideas on how to clean up recycling contamination with bin enclosures and educational signage from Draffin.
Wheelie Bin Enclosures and Corrals
Rubbish bin enclosures are great for lots of reasons. Accessible public bins reduce littering in parks and on our streets. They offer protection from the elements, deter vandalism and reduce illegal dumping. Plus every bin enclosure in our range meets the Australian Standard for Mobile Waste Containers AS 4123.7
Draffin bin enclosures are made to order in our Melbourne factory. This means we have the advantage of being able to create rubbish bins that meet all your waste or project requirements.
Thinking Beyond 2 Bay Bins
Multi-bay public waste bins are becoming increasingly popular. Three, four – even five-bay bins make it much easier to separate recyclables into the right streams.
Match public bin colours with kerbside collection to create a uniform waste colour strategy. There are a few different ways to colour code bins:
- powder coat each bay in a corresponding colour
- Add coloured canopies
- Coloured faceplate stickers.
Bin Canopies
We have canopies that keep out bin chickens. Canopies that stop possums from scavenging. Even canopies with openings for specific types of recyclables, such as bottles, or cardboard. Dedicated bin openings act as both a visual guide and can stop the wrong things from going in the bin.
Curious about fill-level sensors? Chat with our sales team for more information. We have bracket kits that make sensor installation easy. We can even supply the fill-level sensors from our partners at Farsite.
Educational Signage
Research shows that clearly labeled rubbish bins improve recycling rates significantly. But how can we get people to use them properly? An easy way to reduce user confusion is clear signage.
The benefits of using effective rubbish bin signage
Education. Signs with clear text, graphics, and colours both inform and educate users on the right way to dispose of their rubbish.
Cost-effective. If replacing bins is not in the budget, why not update the signage. New bin signs are an easy way to highlight any changes in waste strategy management.
Download the signage guide for our range of standard bin enclosure signs, or chat with our sales team about creating custom bin signs.
At Draffin, we manufacture a large range of standard bin surrounds. We also have engineers on hand to work with you on your custom designs. Contact us if you would like further information on any of our products and services.