Abstract:
An enclosure for a refuse container and a recyclable container includes a frame; a front and a rear carried by the frame and including an advertising holder, a refuse opening, and a recyclable opening, the refuse opening receiving refuse therethrough for depositing the refuse in the enclosed refuse container, the recyclable opening receiving recyclables therethrough for depositing the recyclables in the enclosed recyclable container; a rear carried by the frame and including an advertising holder for holding advertising; a left side carried by the frame and including an advertising holder for holding advertising; a right side carried by the frame and including an advertising holder for holding advertising thereon; and a roof carried by the frame.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is in the field of trash and recycling receptacles. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Recycling is vital to the United States and the global community now more than ever as the amount of waste generated is continually increasing at the same time as the world population continually increases. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. per capita municipal sold waste production has increased from 2.7 pounds per person per day in 1960 to 4.4 pounds per person per day in 1997. 
   The EPA considers recycling to be a great success story. Recycling diverted 64 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 1999, up from 34 million tons in 1990. Recycling provides many social and environmental benefits. Recycling reduces air and water pollution associated with land filling and incineration. Valuable energy and natural resources are saved by decreasing the need for virgin materials. In addition, there is a reduction of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change. Overall, recycling helps sustain the environment for future generations, and empowers society when they are able to keep their cities clean and progress proactively on behalf of the environment. 
   In the U.S., recycling of materials like glass, plastic, aluminum and paper products, grew from 9.6% in 1980 to 28.2% in 1998. The agency has set a national recycling goal for 35% by the year 2005. The Integrated Waste Management Act requires governments to prepare and implement plans to reduce 50% of each states&#39; solid waste from landfills by Jan. 4, 2004. A problem with this recycling effort is that most cities do not have recycling receptacles readily available to pedestrians in high-traffic area. As a result, many recyclable materials either end up in refuse receptacles and taken to landfills or as litter. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention involves an enclosure for refuse and recyclable containers and corresponding method of implementing the same that provides refuse and recycling receptacles in high-traffic pedestrian areas, keeping the streets, sidewalks, and other areas clean, diverts waste away from the landfills and back into the consumer stream of goods, and increases awareness of the importance of recycling. 
   A first aspect of the invention involves an enclosure for a refuse container and a recyclable container. The enclosure includes a frame; a front and a rear carried by the frame and including an advertising holder, a refuse opening, and a recyclable opening, the refuse opening receiving refuse therethrough for depositing the refuse in the enclosed refuse container, the recyclable opening receiving recyclables therethrough for depositing the recyclables in the enclosed recyclable container; a left side carried by the frame and including an advertising holder for holding advertising; a right side carried by the frame and including an advertising holder for holding advertising thereon; and a roof carried by the frame. 
   Another aspect of the invention involves a method of using an enclosure for a refuse container and a recyclable container. The method includes providing an enclosure for a refuse container and a recyclable container to an entity at no cost; providing advertising on the enclosure for a company for a fee; and providing the entity with a portion of the advertising fee. 
   Further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a review of the drawings and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an embodiment of an enclosure for refuse and recyclable containers. 
       FIG. 2  is a right side-elevational view of the enclosure illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the enclosure illustrated in  FIG. 1  with a front panel removed to show the refuse and recyclable containers therein. 
       FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of the enclosure illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the enclosure illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 6  is a rear elevational view of the enclosure illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 7  is a flow chart of an exemplary method involving the enclosure illustrated in  FIGS. 1–6 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   With reference to  FIGS. 1–6 , an embodiment of an enclosure  100  for refuse and recyclable containers will now be described. Although the enclosure  100  will be described in conjunction with a refuse container  290  ( FIG. 3 ) and a recyclable container  300 , the enclosure may be used with either a refuse container  290  or recyclable container  300 , or the enclosure  100  may be used with a refuse container  290  and more than one recyclable container  300 . The enclosure  100  generally includes a frame  110 , a roof or hood  120 , and a sign assembly  130 . 
   The frame  110  includes four legs  140 , a pair of elongated longitudinal supports  160  that carry a metal grate  170 , and three lateral supports  180  that extend between longitudinal supports  160 , over the metal grate  170 . The metal grate  170  includes multiple holes therein to allow fluid and air flow therethrough. The elongated longitudinal supports  160  are joined at opposite ends to the legs  140  as shown. 
   A front panel  190  is connected to a front of the frame  110 . The front panel  190  includes an elongated, narrow rectangular refuse opening  200  and an elongated, narrow generally rectangular recyclable opening  210 . In alternative embodiments, where the enclosure  100  includes a refuse container  290  or a recyclable container  300 , or the enclosure  100  includes a refuse container  290  and more than one recyclable container  300 , other numbers of openings may exist in the enclosure  100 . The recyclable opening  210  includes a circular portion near its center to accommodate the diameters of cans, bottles, and the like. Recyclable items made of glass, plastic, aluminum, and paper are dropped into the enclosure  100  through the recyclable opening  210 . Above and/or below the openings  200 ,  210 , instructions are provided for disposing items. In alternative embodiments, the openings  200 ,  210  may have alternative configurations. The front panel  190  includes an enlarged rectangular advertising section  220  where advertising is preferably located. The advertising section  220  includes a frame with a clear plexiglass window that the advertising is disposed behind to view the advertising through. 
   A rear panel  230 , which is similar to the front panel  190 , is connected to a rear of the frame  110 . Because the rear panel  230  is similar in construction to the front panel  190 , it will not be described in further detail. 
   A first side panel or door  250  is hingeably connected to a leg  140  to form a recyclable access door  250 . A key locking mechanism  252  is provided on the first side panel  250  and on the opposite leg (from the hinged leg  140 ) to lock the recyclable access door  250 . The first side panel  250  includes a rectangular advertising section  260  where advertising is preferably located. The advertising section  260  is similar in construction to the advertising section  220 . 
   A second side panel or door  270 , which is similar to the recyclable access door  250 , is located on the opposite side of the enclosure  100  from the recyclable access door  250  and forms a refuse access door  270 . Because the refuse access door  270  is similar in construction to the recyclable access door  250 , it will not be described in further detail. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the enclosure  100  is a two-chamber enclosure  100  in that the enclosure includes a refuse container  290  to receive trash and a recyclable container  300  to receive recyclable items. As described above, in alternative embodiments, the enclosure  100  may have alternative numbers of chambers/containers (e.g., 1, 3, 4, etc.). The refuse container  290  is located adjacent to and below the refuse opening  200  and adjacent to the first side panel or refuse access door  270 . Similarly, as shown in  FIG. 3 , a recyclable container  300  is located adjacent to and below the recyclable opening  210  and adjacent to the second side panel or recyclable access door  250 . 
   The roof  120  is connected to the top of the frame  110  and the sign assembly  130  is connected to the top of the roof  120 . The sign assembly  130  advertises the area that the enclosure  100  is in or near and preferably includes artwork targeted towards the area. As used herein, “area” refers to the city, town, village, district, municipality, stadium, ballpark, park, monument, public transit system or other area that the enclosure is in or near and “entity” refers to the government or owner of the “area”. Other portions of the enclosure  100  may also include artwork targeted towards the particular area. Because the sign assembly  130  and artwork are targeted towards the particular area, the sign assembly  130  and artwork are preferably distinct for each area. However, in an alternative embodiment, the enclosure  100  may be the same or generic for different areas. Although the sign assembly  130  is shown as an elongated, narrow panel, in alternative embodiments, the sign assembly  130  may have different constructions and configurations, some of which may be targeted towards the particular area that the enclosure  100  is used for. The enclosure  100 , especially the sign assembly  130 , is preferably aesthetically designed to enhance the surrounding environment, compared to traditional trash bins. The sign assembly  130  will provide community branding by advertising the area name where the enclosure is located. 
   On one or more portions of the roof  120  (e.g., on the portion(s) of the roof  120  adjacent the front panel  190 , rear panel  230 ), the roof  120  preferably includes a map and/or directory of the business district that the enclosure  100  is in or adjacent to. The map may include details of the streets within walking distance and details on points of interests (e.g., pharmacy, gas station, convenience stores, other local stores, etc.). In an embodiment of the enclosure  100  where the enclosure is not located in a commercial setting (e.g., a local, state, or federal park), the map and/or directory on the roof  120  may include non-commercial location information (e.g., locations of points of interest in park). In an alternative embodiment, the roof  120  may not include a map and/or directory. 
   The outer structure of the enclosure  100  is generally made out of a powder-coated galvanized steel, to prevent rust and corrosion, and all of the other components are preferable made of rust and corrosion resistant materials. In alternative embodiments, the enclosure  100  and/or the components of the enclosure  100  may be made of other materials, such as, but not limited to, stainless steel. 
   With reference to  FIG. 7 , an exemplary method  310  involving the enclosure  100  will now be described. The method  310  will be described in conjunction with a single enclosure for simplicity; however, the present method  310  pertains to one or more enclosures  100 . At step  320 , the enclosure  100  is provided at no cost to an entity (e.g., municipality). In this step  320  (or an additional step), the enclosure  100  is installed at a desired location in the area, preferably in a high-traffic area such as at a busy street corner, at a downtown location, near the beach, and/or at a tourist area to facilitate recycling and waste disposal in public places. An existing refuse receptacle (or multiple existing refuse receptacles in an area) may be replaced with the enclosure  100  at the prior location (or near the area) of the refuse receptacle(s). The installation may be performed by the company providing the enclosure  100 , a third party, or the entity responsible for refuse and recyclable collection. In this embodiment, where the enclosure  100  is provided to the entity at no cost, the company providing the enclosure  100  preferably retains ownership of the enclosure  100  and is responsible for maintenance on the enclosure  100 . In an alternative embodiment, the enclosure  100  may be provided to the entity for a fee, the fee being below, at, or above the production cost of the enclosure  100 . In this embodiment, the entity would own the enclosure  100  and would be responsible for maintaining it. 
   At step  330 , the company providing the enclosure  100  or a third party provides advertising on the enclosure  100  for a fee by selling advertising space on the enclosure  100  to companies wanting to advertise. For example, a company wanting to advertise may buy advertising space on one or more of the advertising sections on the front panel  190 , the rear panel  230 , the first side panel  250 , and the second side panel  270 . The price of advertising preferably varies, depending on which panel(s)  190 ,  230 ,  250 ,  270  advertising is purchased on. For example, advertising on the side panels  250 ,  270  may cost less than advertising on the front panel  190  and the rear panel  230 . Further, the price of advertising may further vary depending on whether the advertising is on the front panel  190 , the rear panel  230 , the first side panel  250 , or the second side panel  270 . The company providing the enclosure  100  or a third party applies the advertising to the panel(s)  190 ,  230 ,  250 ,  270  by inserting the advertising in the frame under the plexiglass. Preferably, the unused advertising faces of the enclosure  100  are used by the entity to promote environmental campaigns (e.g., “Keep (insert area) Beautiful”) and other environmentally friendly messages. 
   Next, in step  340 , the company providing the enclosure  100  provides the entity with a percentage of the advertising revenue (or total advertising revenue for all enclosures  100  in the area) collected. This percentage of advertising revenue collected by the entity may be used to alleviate the cost burden of recycling to the entity. This percentage may be a portion of total advertising revenue from the enclosure(s)  100  in the area or some other calculation based at least in part on advertising revenue from the enclosure(s)  100  in the area. The amount sent to the entity is performed on a periodic basis (e.g., monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually). This percentage of the advertising fee provided to the entity may be earmarked for a special purpose (e.g., recycling, environment, parks and recreation, reinvestment in the community, etc.). In an alternative embodiment, step  340  may not exist in the method  310  so that the entity does not receive any of the advertising revenue. 
   In step  350 , a waste management and pick-up crew of the entity or a hired third party regularly services the containers  290 ,  300  by regular pick-up of the refuse/recyclables in the containers  290 ,  300 . The waste management and pick-up crew carries a key (or keys) to the lock mechanisms  252  on the doors  250 ,  270 . The doors  250 ,  270  are unlocked and opened. Then, the containers  290 ,  300  are removed and dumped into the appropriate bins in the refuse/recyclable collection vehicle(s). The containers  290 ,  300  are reinserted into the enclosure  100 , and the doors  250 ,  270  are shut and locked. Refuse may then be taken to a landfill, and the recyclables may be taken to a recycling center. Preferably, the entity will receive 100% of the revenue from the sale of recyclable materials. In an alternative embodiment, the company providing the enclosures or a third party may receive a percentage of the revenue from the sale of recyclable materials. 
   Advantages of the enclosure  100  and method  310  include keeping the streets, sidewalks, and other areas clean, diverting waste away from the landfills and back into the consumer stream of goods, and increasing awareness of the importance of recycling. Currently, all materials collected in current public trash receptacles are transferred to waste grounds and buried in landfills. The enclosure  100  and method  310  cause recyclable materials to be separated from general waste, helping to reduce landfills and clean the environment. The entities (e.g., municipalities) do not incur any additional cost with the enclosure  100  and method  310  because the entity continues with pick up and disposal of refuse/recyclables. In the event the entity has to start a recycling program in the present method  310 , the additional revenue streams the entity obtains from the percentage of advertising revenue and the sale of recyclables offsets (and may exceed) the cost of such a recycling program. The enclosure  100  and method  210  provide an effective recycling program in urban areas and raises the environmental awareness of individuals. The enclosure  100  is aesthetically designed to enhance the surrounding environment, compared to traditional trash bins, and provides community branding for the area where the enclosures are located, at no cost to the entity. The enclosure  100  also provides a map and/or directory of the business district that the enclosure  100  is located in or near to assist pedestrians in navigating the area and locating points of interest in the area. 
   It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that still further changes and modifications in the actual concepts described herein can readily be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.