Express ProductsPurchasing the right bins for your recyclable waste can determine how successful a waste management programme can be. With such a variety of styles, sizes and colours to choose from, it can be hard to know which is best for your setting, which is why we have put together this handy guide to answer some of the most commonly asked questions.
Scroll through our handy guide below to help you choose the recycling bin that’s right for your environment:
FAQ: What capacity do I need?
We offer recycling bins ranging from desktop solutions at just 2.5 litres right up to 360 litre wheelie bin housings which are ideal for external environments.
There are many factors that will determine the ideal capacity for you, including the nature of your business, the intended users, placement of the container and type of waste being disposed of.
For example, in an office environment you may decide to choose a recycling container that saves space and fits below a workstation or sits on the desktop. The Nexus® 30 Recycling Bin or Nexus® Stack 30 Recycling Bin are ideal for indoor workspaces. Alternatively, you may be providing outdoor recycling facilities for public users to easily access. This is where you may require a larger capacity bin or wheelie bin container housing, like the Glasdon Jubilee™ 240 or Nexus® 360.
The type of waste is also an important factor in choosing your bin capacity. Believe it or not paper waste can be very heavy and so you may wish to collect it in smaller capacity containers. Batteries are also dense and can become heavy so we offer lightweight battery recycling bins and tubes in smaller capacities from 2.5 to 30 litres.
We also offer advice and a free no obligation waste management audit service to help organisations understand their waste management requirements. Request one today and find out how much recyclable waste your organisation generates so you can begin working towards achieving your environmental goals.
FAQ: Do I Need to Secure My Recycling Bin?
If siting your bin in an outdoor location, we would recommend using ground fixings for added security.
We offer a range of different fixings for our range of outdoor bins and have a handy guide to litter and recycling bin fixings, as well as a helpful infographic, to help you select the appropriate fixing for the location of your bin.
Download our free Litter and Recycling Bin Fixings Infographic, here.
FAQ: How many waste streams do I need?
Our purpose-designed recycling bins and recycling stations are available for the segregation of a wide range of recyclable waste streams including plastic bottles, glass, batteries, confidential paper, food waste, mixed recyclables, cans and paper.
Choosing which waste streams you need to segregate will depend on the intended placement. If you are looking for units for offices and workplaces, it’s likely you may have a greater need for paper recycling and mixed recyclables, whereas for canteens, containers for food waste, plastic bottles and cans will be more necessary.
A waste audit will also help you understand more about the different types of recyclable and non-recyclable waste generated in your environment – learn more about the questions to ask during your waste audit.
To suit the requirements of your recycling programme, we offer multi-stream recycling bins and stations with individual compartments and specially moulded apertures to allow for the collection of multiple types of waste in one space-saving unit. The Nexus® Evolution Recycling Bin, for example, is a 160-litre container that can be purchased as a duo, trio or quadruple compartment model. For areas where floor or cupboard space may be limited, we also offer stackable recycling bins. Our guide on how to choose stackable recycling bins is available to help you select the ideal solution for your environment.
Many of our recycling bins also come with kits to connect them together to create one neat and tidy recycling station such as our Nexus® 50 or Nexus® 100 ranges.
If you see the container you need but it's not in the desired waste stream, we will be more than happy to personalise your choice of recycling bin to suit your needs.
FAQ: What shape opening (aperture) do I need?
To encourage users to place the correct waste into the right bin, we offer a range of specially moulded apertures for each bin. The shape of the opening (aperture) in the recycling bin's lid or hooded open top is an important factor in preventing the cross-contamination of waste to maintain the quality of the recyclable material. For example, an aluminium can will not fit in the smaller, thinner apertures found on a paper recycling bin.
Examples of our moulded apertures and the standard colours we offer on a wide range of Glasdon recycling bins and stations:
FAQ: Do I need a sign kit?
We provide the option to add a sign kit to most of our indoor recycling bins to help create a clearly identifiable recycling point in any location. Fitted to the back of the unit, sign kits provide additional signage at eye level to help promote the recycling message and ensure the correct use and minimise cross-contamination.
As well as sign kits, we also offer a Recycling Stand that can accommodate a range of recycling units and be customised with a variety of graphics to create a stand-out recycling station.
All of our sign kits are available with personalisation so you can choose to recycle (almost) anything!
FAQ: Can I Create My Own Recycling Bin?
Recycling graphics and signs are extremely important components that contribute greatly to recycling efforts. They provide visual cues to encourage individuals to dispose of their waste in the correct container.
As well as offering standard recycling graphics that are widely recognised, we understand the importance of aesthetics and offer the opportunity to personalise your bin and incorporate your company logo, brand and colours onto the body of the bin too. This can promote the environmentally friendly ethos of your organisation as well as foster the bin’s ability to fit in with your facility’s surroundings. We strive to ensure your container is a perfect fit for your requirements which is why we will supply you with a free of charge illustration of your chosen recycling bin before you place an order.
Take a look at some examples of personalisation on our products:
FAQ: Do I need a lid for my recycling bin?
All of the recycling bins that we offer for external use are supplied with a hooded cover to offer protection from the rain. For our internal range, many of the bins that are available with an open aperture also have the option of a flip lid.
Flip lids are useful for hiding unsightly waste and ensuring any odours are contained within the bin. They can also help reduce the likelihood of unwanted pests like flies accumulating. So for any waste that you may want to keep out of sight or that may create smells, we would recommend choosing a flip lid. For food waste bins, we will always provide a flip lid as standard to ensure this.
FAQ: What colour do I need for my waste stream?
In the UK, standard recycling colour schemes and graphics are typically used to illustrate each waste stream. Keeping colours consistent can make them more easily recognisable to users and help with keeping the correct waste separated.
However, you may wish to create something that’s unique to your organisation and we do also offer the option for you to select more customised colour schemes for your waste and recycling programme. Our team of experienced graphic designers can ensure that your chosen graphics are clear and highly visible to meet your programme’s requirements.
If you require any additional support or advice, please contact or live chat with our team of Waste Management experts today.
