1 Comment »

Design Dilemmas: Finding Attractive Recycling Bins

• Tweet

• Tweet

Lurking in the corner of most people’s kitchens is a corner crammed with papers, glass and bottles, waiting to be recycled. If your kitchen is like mine, it’s an eyesore.

Are there modern and attractive solutions to storing recyclables until they’re set out for pick-up?

You bet.

One of the newest is called the Tri 3 by Constance Guisset and Gregory Cid. Though it is not yet available in the United States, it will soon be on show at furniture fairs in Paris and Milan. (And available, shortly for purchase, we hope.)  The innovative trash can looks almost like a regular foot-pedal canister, except that it’s got three compartments and three separate foot pedals that operate each one.  One compartment works for normal trash, the others for recyclables.  It’s one of the most attractive and inventive units we’ve seen. 

And if you can’t wait for the Tri 3 to make it to American stores? Options include the Mode Recycling Center offered by William & Sonoma, a compactor that crushes aluminum cans and plastic bottles.  Two separate bins simplify sorting: the 8-gallon main bin and a 5-gallon paper bin. The bins are built to collect up to two weeks of newspapers, with even a divider for tossing junk mail. Both bins are removable and stack together, so they can be taken out to the curb, garage or local recycling center in one trip. The stainless steel compactor retails for $299.95

Simple Human offers a simpler stainless steel two-bin version with a slim footprint designed for tight spaces. The bin dubbed the “butterfly recycler” is also made with a low profile that can handily slide underneath low countertops.  The bin retails for about $179.99.

Back in the category of bins that are handy but not yet widely available in the United States is the “Binvention” which is low-tech way to use shopping bags to act as separate bins for recyclables. You can e-mail the UK manufacturer if you’re interested in purchasing one.