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At a Glance

High recycling rates do not necessarily mean a country has the user experience of recycling down pat.Switzerland tops our list because of color coordinated bins that are clearly marked. Policy, clear UX and innovative trash cans earned South Korea a spot on our list.

There are plenty of people who recycle around the world. There are also plenty of people who don’t.

The can vary, but ultimately much of it comes down to motivation and convenience, . A 2011 study revealed that only half of adults recycle daily, and a third of respondents said they recycle even less often than that, while 13% said they never recycle.

But what if we could make recycling easier and more convenient for everyone?

In the tech world, folks talk a lot about user experience (UX). Taking the consumer into account has been overlooked in sustainability for too long, but many countries and companies are trying to change that.

Switzerland

Switzerland’s waste management is one of the most efficient in the world. Since banning landfills in the year 2000, the country doubled its recycling rate to 54%. National objectives aim to reach 60% this year.

How? How? How?

Through a combination of effective policies and UX.

Switzerland has adopted a polluter pay principle, meaning citizens have to pay for throwing away garbage. Moreover, trash bags are taxed.

The beauty of recycling in Switzerland is that it is easy, really easy. Sure, — but overall, recycling is pretty convenient.

Many materials can be recycled: plastic, paper, glass, batteries, light bulbs, aluminum, clothing, electronics etc. Most of these items need to be collected and taken to material-specific recycling spots. But you’ll never have to go too far to find the right bin.

The bins are also well-designed. The signs are near-eye-level so you don’t have to struggle to see which bin is for what— a welcomed innovation. They are also consistently color coordinated, and many bins have a sign to explain what it's collecting (e.g. plastic, paper) in multiple languages.

Photo of recycling bins and trash can in Genève, Switzerland.

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According to the , Switzerland’s recycling rate ranks fifth globally.

South Korea

South Korea has one of the most intricate global recycling systems.

But the UX? Super clear, once you know what you’re looking for.

It wasn’t always that way. South Korea has a population density 15 times more dense than the U.S. Seoul, the capital, . As such, they do not have the luxury of landfills. Garbage has to be disposed of or repurposed efficiently to take up as little space as possible.

Because of this space issue, for a long time there were no recycling bins or trash cans on the streets, which resulted in a huge litter problem.

Now, there is a fine for people who don’t recycle and there are monetary rewards available for those who inform on those not properly recycling.

The main materials to be recycled in Korea are glass, plastic, paper, Styrofoam and aluminium. However, that’s not all. People are also expected to recycle large objects, like furniture and electronics, among other things.

The bins for all of these different recyclable materials are clearly laid out. Most residential areas have proper bins nearby.

Then there’s your “regular” trash and compost. Trash has to be thrown out in the proper bins using specific bags.

What, you thought you could just throw things out in any old bag? Think again.

“You need to buy district-specific garbage bags. The bags are priced a little higher than generic plastic bags theoretically should be, but that’s because the price represents Korea’s disposal tax,” according to , a Seoul-based education recruiting company. “Instead of everyone paying a flat tax, if you waste fewer things you have to buy fewer bags.”

What about walking around on the street? Is there anywhere to throw things away?

Recycling bins in South Korea.

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Up until 2014, it was almost impossible to find waste bins that had room to throw things away.

A local company, Ecube Labs, created a solution: an innovative trash can that compacts its contents using solar energy, . Think of it like how at home, when a trash can fills up, you might step on it to compact the trash. This is the same concept, using a solar powered compressor.

In 2014, 85 bins were installed. Since installation, .

According to Smart Labs, the “technology allows the containers to store up to four times more waste before having to be emptied. Unlike the traditional method of collecting general waste and recycling materials, this method enables containers to be monitored thanks to technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things), and has enabled the city of Seoul to reduce waste collection costs by 83% and eliminate the problem of overflowing bins.”

Germany

Of course made this list.

Recycling 56% of their municipal waste, Germany is the world’s leader in recycling.

Just because a country has a high recycling rate doesn’t mean there will be a good UX in the recycling process. It’s just not a given.

Germany’s lead in global recycling is partially to the credit of government-implemented policies that began as early as the 1990s. “Their early awareness of climate change issues, as well as long-standing policies, have helped to solidify recycling as part of German culture— the average German household has six different recycling bins,” , a commercial waste company that also does waste management studies.

One of Germany’s most successful UX innovations was adding a green dot on packaging. , as its known, alerts to recyclers that material is recyclable, and removes any confusion that could prevent citizens from recycling.