Greening Austin Daily

State Implements New Mini-Trash Cans to Increase Recycling

28th July, 2010 - Posted by carsi - No Comments

As the Statesman reports, a new miniMAX program is being implemented in some state office buildings. This program will replace old trash cans with a large recycling container and a mini trash box hanging on the side (see photo below). The plan is to encourage recycling among state employees. Additionally, employees will be expected to empty their trash/recycling bins into centralized bins in their work areas. The state hopes that this self service approach to trash will increase awareness about what is being thrown out and what is being recycled by each employee. The state is also transitioning to daytime custodial crews. All of this together is expected to save the state more than $1 million a year.

My boyfriend works for a state agency that has implemented the new mini-bins, and he says the bins have an FAQ sheet attached that mention the bins will increase recycling revenue and similar programs have substanially increased recycling in other organizations. However, he has also noticed that people in his office are putting non-recyclables in their recycling containers, since there isn’t much room in the small one-gallon trash bins. The brief FAQ sheet attached to the bins provides some info, but it doesn’t directly explain what should go in each bin. Also, many commenters on the Statesman article are focusing on the “take your own trash out” aspect of the reforms, which is missing the point of trying to increase recycling. This seems like a well-intentioned move by the state, but it won’t be very effective if employees aren’t properly educated about the recycling process.

A new recycling bin with mini trash bin attached