Method Talks to the Business Reporter: How Can Design Help Facility Managers to Recycle More

Modernizing Workplace Recycling

Concerns about the environment continue to grow in the UK, and the focus is turning towards what organisations can do to reduce their impact. Method, a company from New Zealand, has redesigned recycling for the modern facility so that your organisation can make a visible difference as you recycle more and waste less. More than just a bin, Method's innovative recycling solution becomes a visible statement of your commitment to sustainability, while helping your bottom line.

Method co-founders Steven and India Korner saw organisations that wanted to recycle, but didn't have the tools to be successful. Traditional options are often ineffective, such as desk bins or ugly bins hidden in cupboards. Method's signature 60-litre recycling bins are coded with information to help users accurately sort waste and effectively change workplace recycling behaviours. The Korners believed a well-designed bin could make a difference, and it has.

Many organisations have seen their recycling rates increase significantly through the introduction of Method's bins, and subsequently, they're sending less waste to landfill/incineration. One facility increased its recycling rates from roughly 30 per cent to 75 per cent. The bins are designed to be placed together to form flexible recycling stations, located throughout any facility. With this, Method pioneered the concept of Open Plan Recycling, bringing colour-coded and consistent recycling stations out into the open-plan design of modern facilities. This increases awareness, accountability and conversations about recycling and sustainability.