QR codes at recycling centres and collection points: times, locations, and sorting help

Recycling centres and collection points have an information problem. Opening hours change with the season, containers move, and many people are not sure which bin items belong in. Signs are expensive and quickly become outdated. A QR code at the gate and at each container keeps the information up to date without anyone having to mount new signs.

Three questions residents have on site

• When is the recycling centre open?
• Where is the next collection point if this container is full?
• Does this go in the yellow bag, in the paper recycling, or at the recycling centre?

Each question can be answered with a destination, and all three fit behind a single QR code.

Opening hours at the gate

With the “Opening hours & directions” template, you build a page in Same-QR with times for each day of the week, including lunch breaks. If the times change in winter, you update the page. The QR code at the gate stays the same and always shows the current status.

All collection points on one map

Enter the locations of all containers into Google My Maps as a custom map and link to it. Anyone standing in front of a full container can immediately see the next one. If a location moves, you only need to update the map.

Sorting guide as a link page

The “All links” template bundles the sorting guide, waste calendar, bulky waste registration, and the map of collection points onto a single page. At the container, you scan once and choose what you need.

One code per location or one for all?

One code for all is the simplest option. A separate code for each location shows you in the statistics how often each collection point is used, and you can later assign a specific destination to a location, for example if there is construction work nearby. Name the codes like “Glass recycling Bahnhofstraße” and assign the label “Collection points”. For many locations, the Marketing plans offer 50, 200, or 1,000 QR codes.

Printing for outdoor use

Containers stand in the rain and the sun. Print the QR code on foil or have it made into a sign, at least 4 cm in size and at eye level. A dark code on a light background scans most reliably. For the print shop, download the code as a PDF or SVG.

Conclusion

A recycling centre QR code at the waste disposal site and at each collection point answers the questions residents have on site: opening hours, next location, sorting guide. Because the destination is dynamic, the sign remains valid even if everything behind it changes. On sameqr.com, you can start for free with one code.

Frequently asked questions