In the months following the first COVID-19 lockdown, up to 48 per cent of Timaru’s weekly recycling had been contaminated. Items like food, nappies and medical waste were ending up in yellow recycling bins leading to entire truckloads of recycling material going to landfill. 

The Timaru District Council required an educational campaign that would cause a stir, with the aim of making changes to bad recycling behaviour. This would be something the whole region could relate to and be proud of. It would require collaboration and commitment, involving many people.

Robertson Creative was tasked with providing the visual design elements for the bold ‘What’s In Your Bin?‘ waste education campaign.

Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen and Councillor Barbara Gilchrist, along with international skating star Nicole Begg and comedian Josh Thomson, got involved, promoting the messages of ‘Sticky or icky? Not in your recycling’, ‘1,2,5 plastics only in your yellow bin’ and ‘In Timaru, our recycling goes topless. Lids go in your red bin’.

In support of the narrative, the Council required a range of collateral including press advertising, online and social media advertising, website graphics, brochures, and bin stickers.

2021

Client — Timaru District Council and Priority Communications

Role — Graphic Designer