Borne de Tri

PUR - Points Urbains de Récupération

- JCDecaux -

City life meets smart recycling—easy, fast, responsible.

About

PUR (Urban Recovery Points) are innovative waste-sorting stations developed by JCDecaux and Citeo. Designed to make recycling on the go easier, covering items like packaging, paper, and cardboard, they are installed in high-traffic urban areas such as train stations, public squares, and shopping centers. Created with Patrick Jouin's design consultancy, these stations combine aesthetics, ergonomics, and efficiency, encouraging citizens to adopt responsible recycling habits in the city.

Deployed in a dozen French cities, the project yielded positive results, collecting over 35 tons of recyclables and significantly improving public awareness of sustainable urban practices. The initiative demonstrates how well-designed, accessible recycling solutions can seamlessly integrate into daily city life, serving as a scalable model for future urban environmental programs.

Details

Industrial Designer/Engineer at Patrick Jouin iD
2019-2020

Awards and Recognition

PUR: A new vision for waste sorting in cities

The PUR range continues the long-standing collaboration between Patrick Jouin iD and JCDecaux in the service of urban spaces. In France, urban recycling is very uncommon and trash is usually mixed all together in the same container. JCDecaux approached Patrick Jouin with the idea of creating the PUR, a modular and urban waste-sorting station, easy to identify and use, and aesthetically integrated in our city landscape.

Testing, Refining, Perfecting

The project went through numerous concepts and shapes before arriving at the final design. Several full-scale prototypes were built to test proportions, usability, and gather feedback through user trials. Throughout the process, we collaborated with an ergonomist and a signage designer to review each iteration, ensuring the final product was both practical and user-friendly.

Shaping consensus around the final design

After a final version was approved by JCDecaux's team, a full-scale prototype was constructed in their workshop and presented to stakeholders at their headquarters. This step allowed for final adjustments based on direct feedback and ensured alignment across all parties before moving forward to production and deployment.

Scaling sustainability in everyday life

The final product was deployed in a dozen French cities such as La Rochelle, Amiens, Nantes, and Annecy, as part of a first-phase experiment to assess consumer behaviors. The initiative collected over 35 tons of recyclables and demonstrated a clear improvement in public engagement with urban recycling. This successful pilot highlights the potential for scaling the PUR system to further integrate sustainable practices into everyday city life.