Popular beaches in West Sussex, and perhaps more widely across the UK, could become cleaner, thanks to an innovative waste bin designed by a student at the University of East London (UEL).
The BinForGreenSeas project, organised by the GreenSeas Trust (www.greenseas.org) and supported by Arun District Council and its waste contractor Biffa, saw 9 students create designs for an iconic beach waste bin that could help reduce seaside waste by reminding visitors to dispose of their litter carefully. Judging to select a winning design took place at the university.
Winning Design
The students, all in their first year of their product design course, showcased innovate and forward thinking designs using 3D models, accompanied by their presentations. The winning design, produced by 19 year old, Laura Monica Carusato, takes its inspiration from the ventilation shafts of the majestic passenger liners of a bygone era. “It’s designed so people don’t just place or drop plastic waste in the bin, they throw it in, so it becomes fun, something children and adults can enjoy, like playing basketball.”
The judging panel comprised of Fazilette Khan, founding trustee of the GreenSeas Trust, who presented the winner’s trophy; Edina Seiben, GreenSeas Trust project coordinator; Biffa business development manager Karen Sherwood; and Darren Wingrove, project manager at Logoplaste Innovation Lab.They assessed the designs for originality in the design, form and use of materials; effectiveness in attracting attention; potential to carry educational messages; practicality (function and ease of use); serviceability (ease of emptying); and manufacture (production cost, sustainability and durability).
“We are very excited to have reached this milestone and chosen the winning bin design, said Fazilette Khan. “Changing behaviour to stop people leaving their litter on beaches or discarding it into waterways is challenging. We are optimistic this bin design will help do just that,”
Dispose Of Litter Properly
Karen Sherwood commented: “All of the designs submitted showed that a lot of thought had gone into them. Laura’s prototype won for its originality of design, ease of use, and because it would be practical to clean and empty. Every year, Biffa’s cleaning staff collects and disposes of many tonnes of waste that are so thoughtlessly left on Arun’s beaches.” A spokesperson Arun Council said, “It’s vital that our beaches and seas are kept as clean as possible. The winning design is eye-catching and we hope to see the design in production and in use. We are hopeful that Laura’s design will help influence beach-goers to put their rubbish into nearby bins so that it can be recycled or disposed of properly.”
According to Andrew Wright, UEL senior lecturer in product design, the project aimed to encourage thoughtfulness through design. “Our enthusiastic students used design thinking to combat the ecological plight of the sea, aiming to change human behaviour using their creative skills.”
Beach Study
Last October, 20 students from the UEL’s design faculty, and accompanied by representatives of the GreenSeas Trust, Arun District Council and Biffa, collected and analysed litter from the shore line of Littlehampton Beach. Their study, which included waste composition analysis and use of high tech GPS equipment, helped identify waste materials found at different areas of the beach. This data informed the potential design of a new waste bin, as well as the best locations for bins.
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