As of next summer the city of Charlotte is changing the way it collects recyclables. The red bins will give way to large rollout containers (an example is shown above) where you’ll dump everything and roll it to the curb every other week. This will, in theory, inspire more people to recycle more things. (Clarification: You’ll have a recycle rollout bin as well as a regular garbage rollout bin.)
Even if it doesn’t, at least now you can roll it out instead of having to haul a bin loaded with newspapers, magazines, cans, glass, etc.
But what should the city do with the red plastic bins? I was talking today with council member Edwin Peacock III, who chairs the council’s environment committee, and he said he’d be interested in hearing suggestions.
He noted his own family’s red bin had been used for sledding and for washing a dog, as well as recycling. At our place we have three red bins (we read a lot of newspapers), and two are held together with duct tape, having had close encounters with various vehicles.
I vote for recycling the bins. But are they No. 1 or No. 2 plastic?
If not, maybe there’s a public art project awaiting, involving a collage of red plastic shards …