Littering harms the ecosystems, it can be dangerous for pedestrians, and it is simply an eye sore. If the park you’re responsible for is facing this issue, and if you’re trying to find ways of solving it, trash receptacles should immediately come to mind. Sure, you already have some trash cans in the park, but you need to think about replacing them and getting better ones, as well as about placing them strategically, in an effort to reduce littering.
This problem is pervasive across the nation: https://www.treehugger.com/trash-in-national-parks-5176531
If you’re trying to improve the disposal situation in your park and make it look more beautiful as well as be more pleasant overall, then here’s what you’ll have to do. Don’t place just any trash cans around it. Instead, place the perfect ones. You’d be surprised to hear that this makes a huge difference, and that people are far less likely to litter when you equip the space properly. Naturally, equipping the space properly takes some time and effort, and there are factors you need to consider when doing so, i.e. when choosing the trash receptacles, so I’ll now tell you about those.
Size
If you’ve never shopped for these products before, you may think that there’s not much variety to them. You’ll be surprised, though, to find out that there are a plethora of options, ranging in sizes, as well as in models and styles. If you’re under the impression that size isn’t that relevant here, I urge you to think again. Could there be a reason for size to matter in this case? Well, yes there could, and there is!
When you go for trash receptacles that are too small, they’ll get filled pretty quickly, and nobody will have the time to empty them before people lose their patience and start throwing the trash around the park. Sure, there are people responsible for constantly keeping the cans empty, but they can’t be everywhere at the same time. So, choosing the right size that goes well with your park will significantly reduce littering.
Durability
Apart from wanting the trash receptacle type you choose to be of the perfect size, you also want it to be highly durable and long-lasting. If stronger winds are enough to damage them, then you don’t even want to know what the human factor can do. Of course, people probably won’t damage these products on purpose, but things happen, balls fly around the park for example, so durability is the second significant factor to consider here. If you choose a product that isn’t durable, you’ll have to replace it pretty quickly, thus wasting money.
Number Of Units
Does the number of units play any role here, when litter reduction is in question? Sure it does! Having one trash receptacle at the entrance and one at the exit of the park won’t do the trick, as the middle, so to speak, will get filled with all sorts of litter. The size of the park plays a part in determining the number of units you need, but here’s one thing to go by. It’s always better to get more than to get less.
Protection Against Animals And Pests
Keeping animals away from the park is not a wise thing. Keeping pests away, though, however appealing, is impossible. Respect their right to live and their choice to live in your park, but do find a way to protect the trash from them. Protecting the trash does sound a bit unusual, but it’s necessary. You don’t want it to be scattered around the entire park just because the cans aren’t doing their jobs.
Well, what to do about it? When out shopping for trash receptacles, or perhaps when in and browsing for these online, keep this need for protection in mind. Find those models that don’t allow animals and pests to scatter the trash around and ruin everything you’ve worked for in the park. Models like those do exist, so do your best to find them.
Budget
Aesthetics are important, and they could even have a logistical role in litter reduction, a topic further discussed on this page, but let’s face the facts. You have a budget to stick to. While you’d love to go for the most expensive and the most incredible option right away, you’ll need to tone down your expectations. Keep the budget in mind, and search for the perfect solution that will fit right in with it.
Bonus: Don’t Forget The Placement
Here’s a bonus tip for you, although I’ve already hinted at it above. Proper placement of those trash cans around the park will make all the difference in your littering issue. Think about this and create the perfect strategy, and don’t hesitate to hear someone else’s opinions as well, all the while aiming at coming up with the best placement solution.