Setup an Collection Point
Collection Point
This is the Precious Plastic Space to collect clean, label-free plastic in your neighbourhood to be passed on to the Shredder Workspace and further recycling.
So you want to set up a Collection Point. That's great, and so much needed! Collection Points are such a crucial element of the Precious Plastic Universe as they are the "catchers" of all that plastic waste out there waiting to be recycled. Setting up the Collection Point can be broken down into three main steps:
- Search: what to think about when choosing your space
- Plan: how to plan your space effectively to collect plastic and reach out to people
- Build: transforming an empty room into a Collection Point
Each of these steps is explained in more detail below.
Pro-tip: we made this website to help you communicate with people in your neighbourhood about the Precious Plastic collection point.
Ready?
Let’s dive in. Before you start, there are a few things to consider.
- People: assemble your team (it’s more fun with friends!)
- Space: Plastic is voluminous. Is your space big enough? We’re working with a 5 x 6 metre space
- Location: is it easy to find and get to?
🛠 Let’s build!
The goal of setting up and operating this Precious Plastic Space is to collect and sort as much clean plastic as possible, so you’ll need to be pretty organised and outgoing reaching out to people in your neighbourhood. We recommend using large bags or containers to store plastic, plus it’s important to separate your plastic based on type - so be sure to mark the bags to make sure everything goes in the right place.
If you’re able to get a consistent (mono-material) source of plastic, say the plastic spoons from your local ice-cream store, then you can store these separately as you collect them so you can maintain consistency and provide Shredder Workspaces with high-quality clean plastic.
An important part of being the collection point for your local community is to engage both online and offline with people living in your area, so in your space it’s great to have a digital workstation where you can do online work like campaigns, social media, partnerships and collaborations. We also created this website to help you talk with people in your neighbourhood about the Precious Plastic Collection Point.
Pro-tip: we made this video to help you teach your local community how to clean their plastic before they bring it to you. It will help them understand the different types of plastic, how to clean it, find you and save you lots of time! *If you set up a washing station at the collection point, they can also wash it there if they forget.
How you collect plastic can vary greatly depending on where you live as it relies on many different cultural, geographical and economic factors. Make sure to check out the Collection How-tos (use the filters toggle on the top) from around the world and get inspired with many different, creative ways people are using to collect plastic in their area. Whatever approach you take, make sure that everyone that comes to your workspace has a nice, friendly experience. And of course in true Precious Plastic style, in the downloadkit you can find some posters that you can hang up.
Once you've collected enough plastic it's time to hand it off to a nearby Shredder Workspace. Be sure to label it properly, so that the workspace you pass it on knows what type of plastic they’re receiving. Before passing it on make sure to weigh the plastic and keep a record of it so you know how much plastic you’re collecting.
Once a week or a month (depending on the size of your operation) you should upload the total kg of plastic you've collected on upload.preciousplastic.com so we can see the total amount collected by entire Precious Plastic community globally 💪
Your role in the universe
| Your icon | Your task |
|---|---|
 | Collection Point Collection Points gather plastic from neighbours, organisations and businesses to be used by local Shredder Workspaces. |
What else can you do?
Seeing plastic as beautiful, valuable objects is a huge motivator for people to bring in their plastic, it’s nice to have a display to show off the Precious Plastic products that can be made from the plastic you’re collecting.
So that’s it! Your needs will change depending on your own situation so make sure you adapt to what’s relevant for you and your community - make sure to share your experiences so we can all grow together. What’s next?