The city is an environment where everyone has to live together, and as such it should guarantee the quality of life of all those who live there. Therefore it is the responsibility of everyone – companies, institutions and members of the public – to work together to ensure that it is easier for disabled people to have access to services.

The agreement reached, approximately a year ago, between the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Barcelona City Council and Ros Roca is encompassed in this framework of civic responsibility, in this case aimed at finding solutions to the problems that disabled people have when it comes to putting refuse in the containers. One of the solutions would be to adapt Ros Roca’s side-loading non-selective containers – those we refer to as being for reject refuse - by means of a handle that activates the pedal and opens the container lid.

For selective collection containers the challenge was a greater one, given the fact that in the traditional design the lid is locked. In order to adapt them, what we have done is to reposition the refuse receiving aperture to a height suitable for those in a wheelchair and to include a relief drawing so that unsighted people can recognise the type of refuse for the container and participate in selective collection.

Both prototypes were presented and approved on March 8th, with authorisation being given for the manufacture of a limited series to be tested on the streets of Barcelona and which we hope will be very well received by the public.