"Innovations" Case Studies: Mini Trash Bins

Local Government, Funding, and Tips

Table of Contents

• What Local Government Can Do
• Funding Mechanisms
• Challenges and Opportunities in Implementation
• Tips for Replication

What Local Government Can Do

State and local recycling requirements have helped lay the groundwork for many of the mini trash bin programs now in place. Ontario’s program grew out of the province’s 50 percent recycling goal.

In California, the State requires all jurisdictions to recycle 50 percent of their trash according to the California Integrated Waste Management Act (AB 939, Sher, Chapter 1095, Statutes of 1989 as amended [IWMA]). This spurred San Jose’s program. In Spencer County, Ind., the program was facilitated by the local county commission passing an ordinance mandating recycling in county buildings.

The City of San Jose’s Recycle At Work program, which encompasses the mini trash bin system, is an opportunity for the city to lead by example. The city has found that the program is helping overcome reluctance of some businesses to begin a recycling program by showing how a mini trash bin program can be successful on a large scale.

Local government can take other steps to facilitate program success in public sector programs. In San Jose and Oakland, for instance, a memo from the city manager set the policy for recycling at city facilities. San Jose city staff did additional work with the city’s in-house print shop to ensure the stocking of paper that could be recycled and that contains postconsumer content.

Funding Mechanisms

Funding for mini bin trash programs typically comes from the same source of funds that pay for recycling and trash services. In San Jose, for example, funding comes from the Integrated Waste Management Fund. This is an enterprise type of fund that receives money from various sources including IWMA fees levied on commercial generators and city facilities for waste generation.

Challenges and Opportunities in Implementation

The biggest challenge in implementing a mini trash bin program is getting employees to buy into the concept. Some think it is okay to carry recyclables to a central location, but not their trash. Some people think the bin is too small. Program critics tend to be in the minority.

Recycling coordinators in the United States and Canada have all been confronted with surprise, negative reactions, and disbelief when introducing the mini trash bin. Comments such as “you expect me to fit all my trash in THAT?” are common. However, as soon as people realize they can recycle so many more materials, they realize they do not need a bigger trash can. They settle down when they begin to realize the mini trash bin is sufficient. Employees learn that they need only empty their mini trash bins once a week or once every two weeks (unless they put unwrapped food waste in it.) One office worker generates so little trash that she doesn’t need a mini trash bin on her desk.

Despite smooth implementation, great employee acceptance, and overwhelming success, mini trash bin program coordinators reveal some people still complain about having to empty their own mini trash bins. They are in a distinct minority. Coordinators try to help “complainers” by pointing out the actions they may already be taking to reduce waste (such as writing notes on the back of once-used paper or sending e-mail instead of writing a note using paper). They point out to these employees that they already pass by the central collection bins a few times a day, so carrying their paper recycling bin or mini trash can with them once a week is not really much extra work. They keep focused on the positive.

If an employee is not participating correctly in the City of Oakland’s program, custodial workers are supposed to leave a note on that person’s chair indicating the noncompliance by checking the appropriate box on the preprinted note. Custodial workers were reluctant to play the “heavy” until a custodian suggested leaving a “love note.” This is basically a thank-you to those who are participating well. From custodians’ perspective, they get blamed for everything. The “love note” is a way for them to give positive messages too.

At the beginning of San Jose’s program, some people tried to hide and keep their conventional trash cans. However, no major problems have arisen since then. Virtually everyone now participates.

In Kalamazoo County, most of the 800-plus employees quickly supported the idea-not only because it made collection of recyclables and trash more efficient, but also because it promised to reduce vermin problems caused by the availability of food waste at individual desks. Employees’ concern for a clean work site overrode anticipated concerns, such as cutting into custodians’ union-protected tasks, and employees managing their own wastes (“my job is ___, not emptying my recycling and trash”).

One benefit of mini trash bin programs is that they can help employees who previously did not recycle to begin recycling, because no one is supporting their bad habit. In Kalamazoo County, non-recycling employees began to participate to avoid having their trash pile up.

By getting individuals to take responsibility for their trash, mini trash bin programs are opportunities to change behavior.

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Tips for Replication

• Seek support of top office management and custodial workers and management.
• Involve custodial workers from the beginning. Meet with custodians frequently to get their feedback. Consider having custodial workers manage the program in order for them to feel some ownership and have some accountability.
• Research the ability of local recyclers to take all the materials targeted for recycling.
• Conduct a basic waste assessment/audit. A basic and simple visual waste assessment/ audit will provide information that you can use to set targets for the program and to evaluate the program once it’s in place. Audits also provide information on current waste management practices used in the building. Without information on current weights and costs, you will not know how much more can be diverted or how much can be saved per ton.
• Evaluate current contracts (this is especially useful in estimating future savings through the program). How much do you currently pay and how you are billed? Can you reduce costs of trash collection by reducing the frequency and number of pickups? Can custodial contracts be renegotiated? When do current contracts expire? Can they be renegotiated during their term? Is trash removal included in the custodial contract?
• Designate a team leader or recycling coordinator for each building (especially important for large buildings).
• Walk through each site with key staff and custodial staff to identify how to set up centralized collection centers.

The picture below shows centralized containers for trash and recyclable bottles and cans.

• Place central bins in well-traveled areas.
• Make the program easy and convenient. (Simplifying paper recycling is one way.) Stress the simplicity of the program.
• Make the program clear. People need to know what is and is not acceptable for recycling. Confusion creates problems. When people feel confused, they are liable to ignore the whole program.
• Ensure the program won’t cost people money. Provide bins and assure people they won’t have additional costs associated with the program.
• Distribute equipment before the program is scheduled to begin. Exchange garbage cans yourself to ensure that every desk gets a mini trash bin and employees do not hide their larger garbage can. Experts from the Max Green Program suggest removing every employee’s deskside trash can and replacing it with a mini bin the night before the program is scheduled to start.
• Give employees a choice of recycling boxes.
• Clearly designate trash and recycling bins. One successful method is to color-code the bins. For example, if mini trash bins are black, make the centralized trash bins black. If desktop paper bins are blue, make centralized paper containers blue as well.
• Properly test out all equipment to make sure they are sturdy and efficient prior to implementation.
• Constantly communicate and provide feedback and follow-up. Plan on having a lot of meetings. Communications to staff, education of senior management, and training for custodial, property management, and green team members are essential to the program’s success. The more people know about and understand the new program, the easier it is for them to support it.
• Keep employees informed. People will be more willing to participate in the program if they know their efforts are making a difference. Involvement leads to ownership. The more ownership employees feel, the more interested they will be in participating.
• Be available to answer questions. Once employees feel comfortable with how the program works, they will more likely feel good about participating.
• Provide easy ways for employees to communicate their concerns with you and obtain answers to their questions (such as a dedicated phone number, web site, and/or e-mail address).
• Devote time to planning and follow-up (this is essential to see what does and does not work so employees know there is human access to the program).
• Occasionally, additional training may be needed for new employees.
• Conduct an annual survey of all key facility staffers to find out how the program contractor and the program in general is working.
• Identify special circumstances and set guidelines for situations where this program is not applicable, and plan accordingly.
• Conduct a follow-up audit and publicize your results. Employees will want to know the outcome of their new way of life.
• In general, continually identify problems and work to remedy them.
• Be flexible and make the program flexible. For instance, if some employees generate more white paper than others, offer them new bins.
• Aim high. Some Max Green offices are diverting 95 percent of their discards to recycling.
• Set realistic, clear goals for the office recycling program based on waste audit results (if you have conducted an audit).
• Make sure employees understand and accept the goals.
• Provide feedback.
• Publicize how well the office is performing in relation to its goals.
• Just do it. Start strong. Start with conviction. Changing your trash collection system as well as changing people’s patterns are all big changes, but they can come about quite smoothly. After securing senior management approval, you are ready to begin once the implementation teams, custodial workers, and contractors are on board and in place.
• Don’t stop at recycling. Consider implementing other waste reduction policies/goals and starting a reuse program. Since throwing large objects such as three-ring binders and report covers into the trash is no longer the easiest option, employees will be looking for other more useful places for these items. A reuse or materials exchange area can reduce the total amount of office discards. It can also save money on office supplies.

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Last updated: October 26, 2007