OpenStreetMap
Provides the base map and many recycling, reuse and waste-place records. Completeness depends on local mapping and tagging.
Transparency
Data sources and accuracy
WasteSpot brings together public map data, official open-data portals, source-linked directories and reviewed community submissions. Every place and local rule should retain a visible source.
1. Map and location search
Nominatim
Converts a city, postcode or address search into coordinates through a server-side WasteSpot endpoint.
Overpass API
Retrieves mapped waste and recycling features from OpenStreetMap within the visible city-scale area.
Official open data
WasteSpot can read published geographic datasets directly from public authorities. Initial adapters include selected New York City, Paris and Brussels collection datasets.
2. Recycling-center directories
WasteSpot provides a geographic starting page for national capitals, selected territory capitals and every U.S. state. These pages centre the live search on the relevant capital or state capital; they do not claim that every facility in the wider jurisdiction has already been reviewed.
Live results combine OpenStreetMap, connected public datasets and source-linked WasteSpot records. WasteSpot also maintains a separate reviewed directory for facilities identified from municipal, operator or other reliable public sources. A reviewed record can include coordinates, address, accepted materials, opening information, provider, verification date and the page used as its source.
Visitor suggestions can be published after moderation. They are labelled as community-sourced records so they are not confused with official open data.
3. Local Rules
Rules profiles use municipal, regional, state, government or operator sources. The directory covers locations across several continents and includes a profile for every U.S. state. State profiles point visitors to the competent state authority, while exact curbside acceptance and bin colours may still depend on the municipality, county, building or contracted operator.
Collection colours are shown where they are documented by the source for that location. WasteSpot does not apply one local colour scheme to another city or service area.
4. City and country statistics
The worldwide statistics directory uses the World Bank What a Waste 3.0 country and city datasets. It contains 217 country and economy profiles and 262 city profiles covering waste generation, collection, composition, treatment, disposal and waste-system frameworks. The source files were updated on 11 March 2026 and are published under the CC BY 4.0 licence.
For supported European countries, WasteSpot selects the latest available Eurostat values for municipal-waste generation and recycling. World Bank data supplies the remaining indicators and the global fallback. The interactive view and each public country page use the same resolved metric record, so the value, year and source shown for a country are identical across the website.
Every key metric identifies its source and reference year. Missing values remain unavailable rather than being estimated.
5. WasteSpot Symbols
The 62-guide catalogue is audited by symbol family. Resin identification codes follow the current ASTM solid-triangle convention. For EU packaging-material codes, WasteSpot keeps the number and abbreviation exact and describes the surrounding triangular recycling arrows as a common presentation, because Decision 97/129/EC does not prescribe one mandatory enclosing logo.
Regulated marks are redrawn only for recognition and link to the controlling legislation or authority. Where artwork is controlled by a scheme owner, certification body or trademark holder, WasteSpot displays a neutral reference card instead of imitating the official mark. Concepts without one universal standard use clearly described WasteSpot guidance illustrations.
The clear three-arrow geometry used for common recycling presentations is adapted from the Font Awesome Free recycle icon, licensed under CC BY 4.0: Font Awesome Free license. The material code, explanatory text and source links determine meaning; the generic arrow enclosure is not presented as official artwork.
6. Deposit Return Finder
Deposit profiles use national administrators, environmental authorities, state agencies and programme operators. Each profile identifies its jurisdiction, published deposit values, scope, return conditions, source and check date.
Every profile contains an original WasteSpot package-label illustration showing where to look and which wording, value or scheme mark matters. WasteSpot does not embed or recreate official trademark artwork. Exact official marks remain on the linked operator or authority website, which always takes priority. Where the law relies on refund wording rather than one universal logo, the profile shows the functional wording and refund value in ordinary text.
7. Search answers, object guides and PDF resources
Symbol search-answer pages reuse the source-linked WasteSpot Symbols records and make common questions easier to find. Deposit-term pages use the same official scheme sources as the corresponding Deposit Return profile. Concrete object guides combine established waste-safety guidance with links to broad public item directories; local acceptance still controls the final route.
Bin-colour pages are generated only from local Rules profiles that contain documented colour information. Downloadable A4 PDF guides and the embeddable symbol widget are summary tools: they link back to WasteSpot and do not replace official local instructions.
8. Community content
Illegal-dumping reports
Visitor reports are stored separately, moderated and published only after review. A published report is a community observation, not an authority inspection or legal finding.
Collection-place suggestions
Visitors can propose a missing collection point with coordinates, materials, supporting details and an optional source. Approved suggestions become community-sourced directory entries.
9. How to read a map result
- Official open data: imported from a named public-authority dataset.
- Official source: added from a named authority or operator page.
- Community source: submitted by a visitor and approved through WasteSpot moderation.
- OpenStreetMap: retrieved from the collaborative map database.
- Material recorded: the selected material is explicitly linked to the source record.
- Acceptance unconfirmed: the place is relevant, but the selected material is not confirmed in the available record.
10. Accuracy and corrections
Opening hours, fees, public access and accepted materials can change. Confirm the current information with the operator before travelling. OpenStreetMap records can be corrected through OpenStreetMap. WasteSpot directory or rule corrections should include a reliable replacement source and can be sent to contact@wastespot.com.