AUWEKO
Functional and Aesthetic Waste and Recycling Bins for Rail
This article first appeared in the Railway-News magazine Issue 5 2021.
For almost 30 years, AUWEKO has been a popular manufacturer and supplier of high-quality waste bins for public spaces. Rail companies are considered very important partners.
In from the beginning: Deutsche Bahn AG. In the 1990s, AUWEKO GmbH started to supply Deutsche Bahn AG with innovative waste bins as a contract partner. Together, the first waste separation bins were developed and the genuine “originals” were placed nationwide. Thousands of three and four-compartment bins were installed at railway stations, a pioneering effort by Deutsche Bahn AG to introduce the new recycling system which led to the reputation of Germans being recycling world champions. The separation bins came with large scale information boards with clear instructions that supported the correct separation, and had an enormous potential for recognition.
Since then, the solutions have continued to improve. The waste disposal and recycling concepts of the stations were optimised: fire protection, ergonomic opening procedures, modern pedestal ashtrays and bins with extra large openings, for pizza boxes or lunch containers for example. The special requirements of the respective location are always kept in mind.
And development is by no means over yet. In 2020, four-way separation was replaced by two way separation at Deutsche Bahn AG as four-way separation led to frequent misdirected waste, making it difficult to separate and recycle the recyclable material. Service providers now sort and recycle valuable resources such as paper, glass, metal and plastics. In the future, 85 percent of the waste will be available for recycling as properly separated material.
Of course, AUWEKO waste bins have certified and patented fire protection. This is the highest safety standard: funnel-shaped openings have been combined with special, sealed metal inner liners. This creates a self extinguishing effect, flames and embers are smothered. This outstanding feature is recognised and appreciated not only by rail operators; the sophisticated models can also be found in numerous airports, shopping centres and amusement parks. The combination of pronounced fire protection and hygiene is convincing.
