Since February 2021, the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Latvia has been implementing the project "Adaptation of the Danish pictogram system in the Baltic States", during which the Latvian business environment, representatives of local governments, waste management representatives and non-governmental organizations were introduced to the Nordic system of pictograms for waste sorting.
As part of the project, a website www.piktogrammam.lv has been created, where you can find waste sorting pictograms. 32 pictograms are used for 12 waste categories, each consisting of three elements: a color, a pictogram, and the name of the waste category. The system is designed for marking waste containers and making labels of different sizes. Recommendations and rules for using the pictogram are provided in the user manual.
Such a system could be a good tool for simplifying waste sorting both in Latvia and elsewhere in Europe. Implementation of the pictogram system is voluntary.
The project "Adaption of the Danish Pictogram system in Baltic Countries" was designed to share experiences and best practices in and promote the use of the Danish pictograms in the Nordic and Baltic region, as well as to encourage the adoption of good waste-handling practices. The project is directly linked to the objective set out in the NCM’s ‘Vision 2030’ action plan of promoting the circular economy and bioeconomy, sustainable and competitive production, sustainable food systems, and resource-efficient and non-toxic production cycles.