In 2012, Sartori Ambiente’s journey encountered an issue that would become increasingly important in the years that followed: accessibility.
The starting point was not the development of a new product, but a practical need that emerged locally. With the introduction of door-to-door waste collection in several municipalities, a difficulty became clear: how could blind and visually impaired people independently identify the different containers used for separate waste collection?
An apparently simple question, but one involving design, organisational and social aspects. Being able to identify the correct container means being able to participate in waste collection without having to rely on the help of others. It means making a public service truly accessible and supporting independence in everyday life.
The solution emerged through a collaborative process involving local authorities, associations representing people with visual impairments, waste collection operators and designers.
The aim was not to create a separate aid or a solution intended exclusively for a specific category of users. Instead, the decision was made to rethink the container itself, so that it could become a tool that was easier for everyone to understand and use.
The Tactile Insert
The discussions led to the development of the tactile insert, an element applied to the container that combines two identification systems:
- a raised pictogram, identifiable by touch
- the initial letter of the waste fraction in Braille.
The decision to integrate both elements stemmed from the awareness that not all blind or visually impaired people know or use Braille. A simple and intuitive tactile symbol can also be recognised by those who are unfamiliar with this writing system.
The design therefore required particular attention. Shapes, thicknesses, dimensions and spacing between the elements were subjected to real tactile tests, with the aim of finding the right balance between readability, simplicity and long-term durability.
The result had to be not only recognisable, but also suitable for everyday use, collection operations and the environmental conditions to which the container is exposed.
A Solution for Everyone
The most significant choice, however, concerned how the solution was implemented.
Containers equipped with the tactile insert were not distributed only to people who directly needed them, but to all citizens involved in the service.
Accessibility was therefore not considered an adaptation to be added at a later stage, but a feature integrated into the design from the outset.
This decision transformed a specific need into a collective opportunity for learning and awareness. The project was also brought into schools through “in the dark” workshops, in which children and young people could directly experience the difficulties associated with the lack of sight and understand the value of tools designed to be used by people with different needs.
The container thus became not only a tool for separate waste collection, but also a means of addressing independence, inclusion and participation.
Ahead of Its Time: Design for All
The project developed in 2012 anticipated principles that today can be associated with the concept of Design for All: designing environments, products and services so that they can be used by the greatest possible number of people, without the need for special solutions or subsequent modifications.
From this perspective, accessibility is not an addition to the product, but an intrinsic quality. A feature capable of improving the experience for everyone, not only for those with a specific need.
The story of the tactile insert is one of listening, dialogue and collaborative design. A small element applied to a container, but also an important change in the way innovation is understood.
Another piece of the puzzle, in every sense, showing how the most meaningful solutions often arise from a practical question and from the ability to look at a product from the perspective of the people who will use it.