The 4th bin is intended to stand in the common recycling area for apartment and office buildings. The facility manager regularly moves the recycling containers to the curbside and just does the same with the 4th bin when it is full. A transmitter and a sensor in the 4th bin alerts the recycling company when it is moved from the original spot. So the recycling company can customize the pickup routes and work more efficiently.

 

The whole ECYCLE-system consists of the 4th bin for recyclable electronics and a vehicle for manual collection of reusable electronics.

 

The expandable 4th bin:

 

• Takes up only the space that is necessary for its content.
• The low starting mode and gradually increasing height of the bin allows a low drop for fragile electronics.
• The expansion gives visual feedback to the facility manager.
• A maximum size bin means it needs to be emptied.
• The RFID locking system ensures that only residents with a valid RFID tag can open the bin.
• A designated person has a special access tag that also unlocks the wheels.
• The main material is Biopregs®, an environmentally friendly biocomposite that can be folded to create the two main parts of the bin.
• Electronics requires gentle emptying in the pickup vehicle. This is solved with a reusable bag which is lifted out of the bin with a crane and placed carefully in a pallet container on the vehicle.
• The bag is made of a heavy duty fabric with a chemical proof coating.

 

Using a modern interpretation of arrows in rotation to create the perimeter of an electrical outlet, this bold and whimsical graphic icon creates an immediate connection between electronics and recycling.