Rubbish Bins of the World: Rome Edition

If you’ve ever gone shopping with someone from the packaging industry, you’ll know that a quick trip to the supermarket is rarely quick.

We have a habit of turning every shopping trip into a little bit of market research, studying packaging formats, materials, labelling and consumer messaging as we wander the aisles.

Apparently, that curiosity now extends to airport rubbish bins.

During a recent trip through Rome Fiumicino Airport, this recycling station stopped us in our tracks. The reason? The clear separation between Plastic and Paper, each given its own dedicated space.

It’s a practical solution, of course, but it also reflects a wider trend. Around the world, governments, brands and consumers are increasingly thinking about materials differently, and recycling systems often provide a fascinating glimpse into how those conversations are evolving.

This observation inspired what we hope becomes a regular feature:

🌍 Rubbish Bins of the World

We’ll be sharing interesting examples of recycling and waste collection systems from our travels, highlighting the different ways countries engage consumers in recycling and material recovery.

And we’d love your help.

If you’ve seen an interesting recycling bin, waste station or packaging collection system while travelling, send us a photo and tell us where you found it.

Who knows? The humble rubbish bin might just have something interesting to say about the future of packaging.

📸 First stop: Rome, Italy. Where will we visit next?