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It's even better if we move the problem of classifying from the person throwing trash to the time of manufacturing of the article. You could mark each article w

It's even better if we move the problem of classifying from the person throwing trash to the time of manufacturing of the article. You could mark each article with #1, #2 or #3 and standardize each bin to be called bin #1, #2 or #3. The person then simply matches number on article to the number on bin and throws, dead simple. See my comment above for detailed description of this.

glandium 9y ago
Those labels exist, at least in Japan. They're not numbers, though. http://www.barcode-net.com/products/recycle/img/ex-img_recycle-01.gif http://www.barcode-net.com/products/recycle/img/ex-img_recyc... The problem is when items have multiple labels, because they're not made of one thing. The simplest example is Saran wrap, where the box is "paper", and the part to cut plastic is either "aluminium" or "plastic" (there are brands that make it in paper so that it's easier, though). And both parts go in different bins. Bottles can have 3 parts: plastic cap, PET bottle, paper label. All in different bins. Then you add rules where things need to be clean, which mean in theory, your toothpaste tube needs to be cut open, and cleaned, before putting it in the bin. And different cities have different rules.
- carwheel10 9y ago
  9 labels is too many. Also, those pictures are kind of hard to match. It needs to be dead simple: number of labels = number of bins available. Maybe number of labels can be more than number of bins by 1 or 2 at most. Secondly, use numbering instead of icons. Numbering is dead simple to match, icons require effort to match on the box against the picture on bin. In the case of saran wrap: the box should clearly say #2 for box and #3 for contents (saran wrap). That would resolve the case you mentioned.
  - glandium 9y ago
    The fun part is: in many cities, you actually have to separate almost all 9 categories. As for the salan wrap, the point is that it's not a box vs contents problem. The box itself needs to be broken up (removing the cutter part) before being thrown away.

glandium 9y ago

Those labels exist, at least in Japan. They're not numbers, though. http://www.barcode-net.com/products/recycle/img/ex-img_recycle-01.gif http://www.barcode-net.com/products/recycle/img/ex-img_recyc... The problem is when items have multiple labels, because they're not made of one thing. The simplest example is Saran wrap, where the box is "paper", and the part to cut plastic is either "aluminium" or "plastic" (there are brands that make it in paper so that it's easier, though). And both parts go in different bins. Bottles can have 3 parts: plastic cap, PET bottle, paper label. All in different bins. Then you add rules where things need to be clean, which mean in theory, your toothpaste tube needs to be cut open, and cleaned, before putting it in the bin. And different cities have different rules.

carwheel10 9y ago
9 labels is too many. Also, those pictures are kind of hard to match. It needs to be dead simple: number of labels = number of bins available. Maybe number of labels can be more than number of bins by 1 or 2 at most. Secondly, use numbering instead of icons. Numbering is dead simple to match, icons require effort to match on the box against the picture on bin. In the case of saran wrap: the box should clearly say #2 for box and #3 for contents (saran wrap). That would resolve the case you mentioned.
- glandium 9y ago
  The fun part is: in many cities, you actually have to separate almost all 9 categories. As for the salan wrap, the point is that it's not a box vs contents problem. The box itself needs to be broken up (removing the cutter part) before being thrown away.