The Playbin is a waste station for public spaces, developed to help reduce litter and to actively involve users in disposing of waste correctly. The Playbin allows separate collection of empty cans, empty PET bottles, other PMD, paper and residual waste. What sets the Playbin apart from an ordinary bin is the added possibility to manually reduce empty cans and PET bottles, while keeping the crushing process visible.
What is the Playbin
The Playbin is a complete collection solution for locations where many people come together, such as schools, parks, campsites, squares and sports environments. The Playbin is specifically designed for outdoor use, but it can also be placed indoors when the location and application make this suitable. The Playbin combines separate waste collection with a visible, manual action. As a result, waste is not only collected, but approached in a more active and understandable way.
Which waste streams can be collected in the Playbin
The Playbin is intended for the separate collection of empty cans, empty PET bottles, other PMD, paper and residual waste. This means the Playbin is not only focused on beverage packaging, but on several waste streams within one central waste station.
What makes the Playbin different
Inside the Playbin is the manual Can Crush mechanism. This mechanism makes it possible to visibly reduce empty cans and PET bottles without electricity. The Playbin is the waste station as a whole. The Can Crush mechanism is the technical component inside the Playbin that makes this additional function possible.
It is precisely this visible action that makes the Playbin different from an ordinary bin. Especially for children, it makes disposing of waste correctly more concrete, active and appealing.
Why the Playbin was developed
The Playbin was developed from the desire to help reduce litter in public spaces and to make waste collection not only more practical, but also clearer and more effective. Empty cans and PET bottles take up a relatively large amount of space. By making them smaller, the available space in the internal waste container can be used more efficiently. At the same time, the visible process allows users to immediately see what happens to the waste.
Local and sustainable
In the development of the Playbin, the environment, practical usability and local cooperation are central. By reducing empty cans and PET bottles, the waste volume becomes smaller and the available space in the internal waste container can be used more efficiently. This can contribute to fewer collections and fewer transport movements. In both development and production, a conscious choice is made for a local approach, so that design, coordination and realisation remain closely connected. That is why the Playbin is being developed in collaboration with social enterprise De Brug in Mortsel.
Who the Playbin is for
The Playbin is designed for a broad public. Children, teenagers and adults should all be able to use the waste station in a safe and understandable way. This makes the Playbin suitable for schools, municipalities, recreational locations and other places where correct waste behaviour should be encouraged.
Manual, visible and without electricity
The Playbin works fully mechanically and without electricity. The reduction of empty cans and PET bottles is done manually and remains visible to the user. This makes the system easy to understand and use.
Safe and easy to maintain
The Playbin is being developed as a safe, robust and easy-to-maintain waste station for intensive use in public spaces. From the start, attention is given to child safety, shielding of moving parts, cleaning, maintenance and practical day-to-day use.
Developed in Belgium
The Playbin is being developed in Belgium in collaboration with social enterprise De Brug in Mortsel. De Brug is involved in part of the development as well as in the further realisation of the Playbin. This collaboration helps keep development, manufacturability and practical execution closely connected.
In development
The Playbin is currently in development. The focus is on further developing a safe, easy-to-maintain and practically deployable solution that helps reduce litter in public spaces.