Litter Disposal

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Litter Receptacle, Litter Bin, Litter Container, Dustbin, Rubbish Bin, Trash Box, Trash Dumpster, Wastebasket, Dispose, Garbage, Litter, Rubbish, Trash, Waste, Waste Disposal

Category

Public Facilities, Regulations

Message / Function

To indicate a receptacle for the acceptance of trash or litter or rubbish being thrown away
Note: Messages concerning recycling and sorting of specific recyclable materials are not included

 

	Source	Description
	ÖNORM A 3011	Human figure dropping four objects into litter receptacle
4)	AIGA	Human figure dropping three objects into litter receptacle
	Parks Canada	Human figure dropping objects into litter receptacle
	UIC 413	Human figure dropping object into litter receptacle
	ISO 7001	Human figure dropping four objects into litter receptacle
	BS 8501:2002	Human figure dropping four objects into litter receptacle
	Handbuch wien.gv.at	Human figure in outline, throwing three objects into litter receptacle
	Eco-Mo Foundation	Human figure dropping three objects into litter receptacle
	MUTCD	Human figure throwing three objects into litter receptacle
	Zurich Airport	Human figure throwing object into litter receptacle
1)	Tidyman 1973	Human figure dropping object into litter receptacle
	UKFC	Human figure dropping object into litter receptacle
	ÖBB 2007	Human figure dropping object into litter receptacle
	Icograda	Human figure dropping object into litter receptacle
	SEGD	Human figure dropping object into trash dumpster
	DB	Upper part of human figure dropping apple core into litter receptacle
2)	ÖBB H	Hand above litter receptacle with bottle and banana peel
5)	Dreyfuss	Hand dropping bottle and banana peel into litter receptacle
	Dreyfuss	Hand dropping towel into receptacle
	Dreyfuss	Hand dropping banana peel into litter receptacle
	Icograda	Hand throwing crumpled paper into litter receptacle indicated by bar
	Kapitzki	Bottle, hand behind
3)	SSRS	Side view of trash box with fish skeleton below lifted cover
	SFS	Side view of trash box with fish skeleton below lifted cover
	Icograda	Side view of full trash box with cover lifted
	O'68	Side view of trash box with rubbish below lifted cover
	Dreyfuss	Side view of trash box, crumpled paper above
	BWB	Side view of trash box with cover
	BTA 1989	Side view of trash box with cover
	BTA 1989	Side view of bucket with cover and handle
	EJP	Side view of trash can with cover
	Icograda	Side view of trash can with cover
	O'72	Ellipsis with downwards pointing arrow above
	Erco	Square, partially open at top, line ending in arrow pointing downwards

Discussion

The examples shown above are only a small selection from the wide range of pictograms and symbols used to indicate a receptacle for the acceptance of trash or litter or rubbish being thrown away. This set of symbols already indicates that possibly no single visual stereotype exists concerning this message, but variants that appeared since publication of the DOT / AIGA Symbol Signs study mostly follow the example offered by AIGA.

A few studies present research covering many pictogram variants for this referent. These papers offer some useful information:

Kraft (1976) studied 15 pictogram variants for Trash Box in an Appropriateness Ranking Test. In this set, which did not include any renderings with human figures, the humorous Swedish pictogram labeled as SSRS in the table above was judged as most appropriate. In a follow up Comprehension Test conducted in Austria (Brugger, 1978) the three pictograms marked with 1) to 3) were examined: While the variants marked 1) and 2) elicited 90.8 % and 87.3 % correct responses, variant 3) reached 42.6 % correct responses only. The bottle in the pictogram marked as 3) elicited a rather wide range of responses related to milk, poison, medicine, laboratory, and more.

In Appropriateness Ranking Tests conducted in the context of the Icograda student project (Frascara) and the ISO test series 1979/80 (Easterby & Graydon, 1981 a) more than 40 pictogram variants of the referent Dispose were tested. Especially the variants displaying a human figure dropping objects into a litter receptacle were considered as most appropriate. Of the three pictogram variants then tested for comprehensibility in six countries (marked with 3) to 5), Easterby & Graydon 1981 b), the pictograms from the USA and Sweden were understood well with more than 80 % responses that could be classified as correct. The banana peel and the bottle shown in the Dreyfuss variant marked as 5) again were reason for many wrong responses. Results of both Comprehension Tests mentioned before indicate that showing objects related to specific types of garbage tend to induce incorrect interpretations.

In a later Japanese study to propose domestically unified graphical symbols based on scientific methods, the pictogram variant labeled as Eco-Mo Foundation reached an excellent comprehension score of 97.1, an almost perfect value (Eco-Mo Foundation, 2001).

Recommendations

Based on the test results detailed above we recommend the use of a design similar to pictogram A37 of the Eco-Mo Foundation to indicate a receptacle for the acceptance of trash or litter or rubbish being thrown away.

Tests of pictograms of referent Litter Disposal

Brugger, Ch. (1978): Bericht über die Auswertung des Erkennungstests von November/Dezember 1977. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated 6. 3. 1978, Vienna.

Easterby, R.S. & Graydon, I.R. (1981 a): Evaluation of Public Information Symbols: ISO Test: 1979/80 Series. Part I: Appropriateness Ranking Tests. AP Report 99, Applied Psychology Department, University of Aston in Birmingham, January 1981.

Easterby, R.S. & Graydon, I.R. (1981 b): Evaluation of Public Information Symbols: ISO 1979/80 Test Series. Part II: Comprehension/Recognition Tests. AP Report 100, Applied Psychology Department, University of Aston in Birmingham, January 1981.

Eco-Mo Foundation (2001): Test data of public information symbols in Japan - Procedure for the testing of public information symbols by the Study Committee. ISO: ISO/TC 145/SC 1 N 329.

Kraft, E. (1976): Ranking-Test. Report to the Austrian Standards Institute (ON) dated 09/76, Vienna.

 

Updated 2024-08-07 by Ch.Brugger