Recycling signs and bin labels can make or break your waste and recycling program.
Clear signage = less contamination and waste, which usually means more savings. Confusing instructions and signs with recycling symbols that are hard to read, or posted in the wrong places, could drive your diversion rate down and your waste costs up.
For most businesses, proper waste and recycling signage is not only a compliance requirement, it is also a proven strategy for improving diversion rates, reducing contamination and cutting costs. For businesses on a budget, clear signage can be a game-changer.
Why Recycling Signs, Symbols and Labels Matter
Studies show that recycling education — including the use of effective signage, symbols and labels — is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to make a big impact on waste diversion.
When staff and building tenants understand how your waste and recycling program works — what’s accepted, what’s prohibited, and “what goes where” — you’re more likely to see:
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Less contamination in recycling bins
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Higher diversion rates and less waste
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Lower hauling and waste disposal costs, particularly those pesky contamination fees
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Less exposure to fines for non-compliance
Recycling often increases when it is made simple. If someone holding an item has to stop and think, that item is likely headed for the trash, even if it’s recyclable. Enough of those small mistakes, and your business ends up paying to landfill materials that could have been diverted.
According to findings from the largest global study of commercial waste, 62% of “trash” in commercial waste streams is actually NOT trash at all. This means that most buildings are paying to send more materials to the landfill than they need to.
Effective recycling signs and bin labels could go a long way to solving this big waste problem.
Best Practices for Effective Recycling Signs and Labels That Work
Because there is no federal standard for waste and recycling labels used across the U.S., and because local and state rules vary, it is important to design signage that works for your specific waste and recycling program.
The recycling signs and labels you use should address the specific waste streams you generate in your buildings or business, and take into account local regulations. It is why not every business should purchase off-the-shelf recycling signs and labels.
So, how can you ensure your bin labels and recycling instructions are effective for compliance and results? Do your current recycling signs and labels need to be updated? Here is what you need to know.
1) Customize Signs for Your Waste Program
Every building’s waste and recycling program and waste infrastructure setup is unique. Custom signage helps your users make the right choices for your system, not a generic one. Make sure your signage reflects:
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Whether your system is single-stream or multi-stream
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What materials are collected (e.g., organics, compostable food service ware, etc.)
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Where specialized items like e-waste and batteries should be taken to be stored and collected
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Collection times and safety information for special materials
- Images of the exact recyclable materials on your signs when possible (eg: takeout containers used in your cafeteria, coffee pods used in your coffee pantry, etc.)
Tip: Waste audits reveal the disposable items that consistently wind up in the wrong location, providing invaluable feedback that lets you know if your signage or program needs improvement.
2) Standardize Your Recycling Labels Where Possible
Whatever colors, text, recycling symbols and images your business chooses for your recycling signs and labels, make it consistent across all your corporate campuses. Establish an in-house standard. Consistency reduces confusion, which leads to contamination. Standardized branding, layout, images and messaging build recognition over time.
Standardized labels from our partner Recycle Across America (RAA) have been recognized as one of the most effective environmental solutions for reducing waste and supporting climate goals. RAA reports that:
- Las Vegas Clark County Schools significantly reduced their contamination rate and saved $6 million in trash hauling fees over two years when the standardized labels were installed.
- For Best Buy’s corporate offices, RAA reports a 70% increase in recycling with standardized labels.
- And Rhode Island, the first state to adopt RAA standardized recycling labels, has seen a 20% increase in recycling levels statewide due to less contamination.
While society-wide standardized recycling labels like what the RAA is advocating are ideal and should be encouraged, some businesses may need more customized solutions in the current environment.
For example, Washington State has mandated a color-coded container system beginning in 2028 that differs slightly from RAA colors. Businesses in that state may decide to design their own recycling signs to more closely align with colors of their state standard. New York City residential signage is also different from RAA colors.
3) Make It Visible
Visibility drives compliance. Make sure your recycling signs and labels can be easily seen and read from a distance.
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Use bold fonts and high contrast colors (dark text on light background or vice versa).
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Place signs at eye level, on, near or directly above bins and at all waste collection points. If the recycling signs are too low or obstructed, they will be ignored.
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Case study: When we saw diversion rates drop drastically at one business, we investigated and found out that while their bins had been moved, the signs stayed behind on the wall of the former location. Placement matters. (Read more about the case of the suspicious metrics).
4) Make It Understandable
Recycling signs, labels and instructions must not only be readable, but also understandable. This is especially important in multi-tenant and multi-language workplaces.
- Provide signs in multiple languages, if appropriate.
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Use widely-recognized icons and recycling symbols.
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Use images to support text descriptions when possible.
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Make your message simple, short and clear. A good rule of thumb is fewer than 10 words per instruction.
5) Make it Durable
Durable signs maintain credibility and signal a well-run waste and recycling program and a sustainability-minded organization.
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Make sure your signs can withstand routine, daily handling and exposure to the elements if used outdoors. Opt for waterproof, UV-resistant materials for longer-lasting signs.
- Ensure signs and labels are firmly affixed to your waste bins or walls.
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Use rigid backings if necessary to avoid flapping edges or peeling corners.
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Replace faded or damaged labels regularly.
How to Maintain and Upgrade Your Signage
The success of your waste management program depends in part on your waste infrastructure, which includes your waste and recycling signs and labels. Check on the health of your waste collection infrastructure at least once a year to maintain compliance, reduce exposure to fines, and t0 make sure your waste collection program is working as efficiently as it should be.
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Conduct a physical walk through your facility to review your existing recycling signs and labels. Are they accurate, visible and easy to understand? Are they correctly located and in good condition? Take notes and see if improvements are needed.
- Photograph existing signage to document signs that need upgrading (eg: signs that are fading, hidden, or with conflicting messages) or missing signs that put you at risk of fines.
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Check signage from five to 10 feet away to ensure readability.
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Upgrade sign materials if necessary. Swap out paper posters for durable waterproof signs if used outdoors.
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Check that signs are standardized and consistent with the same colors, text, layout, icons and images across your corporate campus.
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Test with users: Ask staff, contractors, or building occupants whether they understand the signs.
NOTE: This review can be done as part of a Waste Infrastructure ScorecardSM, which checks every aspect of your waste collection infrastructure, from bin placement to recycling signs and more. The observations and other data gathered during the walk through are analyzed and translated into a score, giving your business a simple, at-a-glance understanding of your waste program’s effectiveness and enabling comparisons year-over-year.
Need Help With Recycling Signs and Bin Labels?
If data from waste audits reveal a high level of recycling contamination, take a look first at your recycling signs and labels to see if they are contributing to the problem. Updating your signage system is a small investment that can lead to big improvements in recycling outcomes.
Interested in getting your own waste infrastructure scorecard? Looking to update your recycling signs and labels? Contact Great Forest today.