Hong Kong, SAR
The design team of Kin Wai, Michael Siu, Chi Hang , Paul Lo, and Li Ka Yu Katie has developed “BinS” for V616, Public Design Lab, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), aiming to standardize recycling symbols and create an easier and more efficient waste-management system.
“BinS” is a set of standardized shapes for the openings of general waste and recycling bins.
Due to the simple and unique shapes of the openings, “BinS” creates an effective set of symbols representing different kinds of waste and recyclables.
The project aims to standardize the recycling symbols as well as shapes of openings of different waste and recycling bins in order to create a consistency across different countries and make recycling waste easier.
“BinS” has recently been awarded a 2022 Green GOOD DESIGN Sustainability Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
With environmental protection growing in awareness over the years, most countries have begun their own recycling systems.
Yet, newcomers to a foreign country may feel confused with the unfamiliar recycling system, leading to incorrect waste separation.
The goal of the designers was to develop a standardized waste management symbol system to help manage this confusion.
“BinS” was thus designed as a set of standardized and sustainable symbols representing different waste and recyclables for international use.
It provides nine shapes to represent nine categories of waste that can be recycled: general waste, paper, plastic, metal, glass, food waste, battery, light tube & bulb, and clothes & textiles.
Its design benefits include:
1. Easy recognition: All shapes of “BinS” are designed from related features of the categories, which remind people from diverse cultural backgrounds of common waste and recyclables symbols.
2. Easy to remember: All lines and curves of “BinS” are designed to be as simple as possible, making the symbols easy to memorize.
3. Easy to apply: The covers of the bins with simply-designed and unique openings are interchangeable.
BinS uses a universal design language, which implies that it can be applied in all countries (physical locations, situations, and conditions), especially for cities with more international visitors.
The number of bins in different categories can be adjusted according to the local demand for different waste types.
The overall design concept can be also easily further developed for more types of waste and recycles.
Project: BinS
Designers: V616, Public Design Lab, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)
Lead Designers: Kin Wai, Michael Siu, Chi Hang , Paul Lo, and Li Ka Yu Katie
Manufacturer: V616, Public Design Lab, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)