Recycling Trucks Wrapped with New Art Hit the Streets of Washington, D.C.

This year, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration has, once again, wrapped district recycling trucks with original art by local artists. The Designed to Recycle initiative, which launched in 2015 with 10 trucks, promotes recycling in D.C. and supports local artists.

The first wrapped trucks were in service in July, and every week through September 6, two more newly wrapped trucks were on the streets in all eight districts providing collection services. 

Designed to Recycle encourages residents of all ages to increase their efforts to reduce landfill waste and pollution. The project is part of Bowser’s mission to expand the creative economy in D.C. and to provide more opportunities for local artists to support themselves. Local artists were invited to submit proposals for the project during spring 2018. The selected artwork was printed on vinyl and wrapped on each of the Department of Public Works’ (DPW) recycling trucks.

“Through the Design to Recycle project, we are able to support and showcase the talent of our local artists, further enhance the visibility of the city’s recycling efforts and add to the creative landscape of the district in all eight wards,” said Angie Gates, interim director for the Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH), which funds the project, in a statement.

DPW and CAH also partner on the city’s MuralsDC project, which replaces graffiti-tagged walls on buildings with original works of art. New murals are planned for several wards.

“Art has been a powerful tool in engaging residents with our agency’s work,” said DPW Director Chris Shorter in a statement. “The wrapped trucks forge a connection between our sanitation teams and the neighborhoods we serve, and our drivers are excited to drive them. We hope these moving pieces of art inspire citizens to remember the vital role they play in the city’s sustainability efforts.”

The 15 artists and their designs for this year are: