Some might think that if waste or recycling receptacles cannot be seen, they won't become an eyesore. However, the farther they're placed from the building, the less likely they are to be used.

It is important to place waste receptacles as close as possible to entryways, high-traffic areas and congregation and meeting points. As people enter the building, they may have coffee cups or other trash in their hands and it is important to simplify the proper disposal of these items.

In some situations it may be appropriate to co-locate recycling and trash bins. But if the company features recycling as a key part of greening its operations, the facility may require separate areas for each. According to industry experts, separating the two will drive down contamination rates in the recycling stream. Color-coding and labeling receptacles also ensures recyclables are correctly sorted.


posted on 4/22/2011