Are you trying to implement a waste management system at your facility but not sure how the streams are meant to be correctly separated? This article is going to briefly run through all the different waste streams, what waste is included in what stream and what colour it generally coordinates with.
General waste
To begin, the most common stream that everyone is familiar with is “general waste.” But what exactly does general waste include? General waste includes any rubbish that cannot be recycled, meaning it will not rot, decay, or disintegrate over time and has little or no moisture content. Astra recommends using the colour red for general waste, usually reflected on bin lids, coloured bin enclosure doors, covered top chutes or signage on the front of the bin itself.
Recycling
The next most common stream is “recycling.” Any rubbish that is correctly disposed of in a recycling bin can be converted or broken down and reused to make new materials. Common materials that can be disposed of in a recycling bin include paper, cardboard, glass containers and bottles, aluminum, tin and steel cans, hard plastic bottles, and containers. Our recommended colour for recycling is yellow, usually reflected on bin lids, coloured bin enclosure doors, covered top chutes or signage on the front of the bin itself.
Paper and cardboard recycling
The next stream typically incorporated into a waste management system is “paper/cardboard recycling.” Although these materials can be placed in a recycling bin, most facilities have separated this rubbish, allowing it to have its own bin. Paper and cardboard are separated into like products, bailed and then taken to a processing facility where de-inking occurs. Recycling paper and cardboard items separately to general recycling is beneficial as it saves a lot of landfill space and processing time. The most popular colour for paper and cardboard recycling bins is blue bin lids, coloured bin enclosure doors, covered top chutes or signage on the front of the bin itself.
Organics
One of the newer streams across many establishments is the “organics” waste stream. An organics waste bin includes compostable waste (food waste and plant-based waste like flowers), cooking oil, garden waste (sticks, twigs, leaves and grass clippings), compostable packaging, fish and meat. The most common colour for organic waste bins is green, usually reflected on bin lids, coloured bin enclosure doors, covered top chutes or signage on the front of the bin itself.
Implementation
Astra Street Furniture encourages facilities to implement these waste management streams in any type of facility and have made it simple with the Athens wheelie bin enclosure suite. There are red, yellow, blue, and green coloured doors and chutes available to highlight each of the different streams. Athens Bin Door Graphics are also available that include wording and symbols, which makes it easier for users to know what rubbish can be disposed of in each bin.
