'Better Bin' trash can contest finalists set for trial on New York City streets
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- The finalists of the Better Bin litter basket prototype competition have been announced and are ready to be tested out on the streets of New York City.
The contest, organized by the Department of Sanitation, Van Alen Institute, and the Industrial Designers Society of America/American Institute of Architects New York, offered designers an opportunity to reimagine New York City's iconic green wire mesh litter basket.
The redesigned litter and recycling basket prototypes will be placed in select areas on New York City streets for a minimum of 30 days before final judging takes place, and residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the design of the new bins at BetterBin.NYC.
"We've been looking forward to seeing these newly redesigned litter baskets on city streets," acting Sanitation Commissioner Steven Costas said. "City residents are our partners in keeping the city healthy, safe and clean, and one way they do that is by using litter baskets."
The litter and recycling baskets will be on trial in three locations, replacing the green wire mesh baskets currently in place:
--Along 9th Ave in Manhattan between 43rd and 45th streets
--Along Main Street in Queens between Maple and Cherry avenues
--On Castle Hill Avene in the Bronx around Newbold and Ellis avenues
After the prototype period, which may last for up to 90 days, the judging panel will select a first-place winner based on prototype performance, public response, and feedback from sanitation workers.
The winner will be eligible to contract with the city for further design development to ensure the ability to mass-produce the basket at a reasonable cost, as well as refine technical issues.
The design team finalists include Group Project and Smart Design, while a third company previously announced as a finalist, IONDESIGN GmbH Berlin, was not able to produce the necessary prototypes and is not moving forward in the competition.
New York City is home to more than 23,000 litter baskets that offer pedestrians a convenient way to dispose of refuse and recycling on the go, and the most widespread design dates back to the 1930s.
While iconic to the streets of New York, the basket is in need of a redesign to address the current and future waste needs of the city.
The Better Bin Competition offered designers from around the world a chance to envision a new litter basket with a sustainable, environmentally conscious, and ergonomic design that could improve the quality of life for New Yorkers and the service experience for sanitation workers.
For more information and to give your feedback, visit BetterBin.NYC.
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