DCHP-2

blue box Blue Box, blue-box DCHP-2 (October 2016)

• n. & adj. — often in compounds, e.g. blue-box program, blue box recycling

  a container for the collection of recyclable materials (see Image 1).

  Type: 1. Origin — The first curbside collection program for recyclables in Canada was implemented in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1981 (see Stewardship Ontario: 10). The colour blue was chosen for practical reasons, including protection against degradation from ultraviolet rays and its visibility in snow (see Pollution Probe: 7-8). These boxes are now used across Canada to collect a variety of recyclable household waste items.
  The UK uses similar programs, also sometimes referred to as blue box (see Chart 1), but the predominant term there is blue bin (see blue bin Chart 1).
  See also COD-2, s.v. "blue box" (1), which is marked "Cdn", Gage-5, s.v. "blue bin", which is marked "Cdn.", ITP Nelson, s.v. "blue bin", and OED-3, s.v. "blue box" (2), which is marked as "orig. Canad.".

  See also: green bin  blue bin  redemption centre