$177,000 bins are installed to restore a little dignity to city’s bottle collectors

A new type of rubbish bin has been introduced to make bottle collection easier - and hand more dignity to the homeless in Copenhagen. The bins have sleeves around the sides so those who collect bottles to reclaim the few cents deposit do not have to dig around in the refuse. Morten Kabell, Copenhagen’s deputy mayor, said the initiative was good from an environmental point of view, keeping the city clean, “and at the same time we make life easier and create a bit more dignity for some of our marginalised citizens, for whom deposits are an important source of income”.

We hope this will spread as circles on the water to other cities that will take social responsibility for vulnerable people and do something for the environment

Project initiator Michael Lodberg Olsen

When buying a beverage in Denmark, customers pay $0.15-$0.44 for the bottle or can - money that is returned in bottle machines in grocery stores. Collecting bottles and cans from garbage bins is a source of income for many of Copenhagen’s homeless, pensioners and other marginalised groups. The idea for the new bins came to light last summer after some residents put up homemade wooden boxes where people could leave empties for collectors. After the success of a pilot project in three Copenhagen districts, 500 bins will be put up throughout the city, at a cost of $177,000.