Frequently Asked Questions
Are you hitting a wall with your games? Or do you want to raise your trash trawling adventures to the next level? See below for a range of FAQs!
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Answered by the creator of Bin Off: Jake Bamford
Feel free to get in contact via the message form on this website or the email at the bottom of the page if you have any questions that aren't mentioned here.
Q: What do the extra rules do for the game? A: The basic version of the game provides an accessible experience for all ages and skill levels, while the extra rules (prep cards and extra icons) add more challenge and strategy to the game, but they may be hard to understand for some players. Feel free to add any amount of these extra rules - if you only want to play with the Contaminant Cards, the game will still work fine without the other extra rules added! As an added bonus, the extra rules provide additional educational opportunities for players, exploring ways to prepare items for correct recycling (like washing them, or separating items into loose items - removing lids and tabs) and how not to contaminate your bins!
Q: How do I setup the game? A: The first page of the rulebook includes a nifty little graphic that shows how your Bin Off game should first look when it's setup, but the most important things to remember are; - Waste Cards and Bin Cards should be shuffled in their own respective decks. - Each player should have four Waste Cards in their hand. - There should be at least four Bin Cards, face up, in the centre of the table. - The Bin Card and Waste Card decks should be near the centre of the table, accessible to all players. - Last but not least; ensure all players know what selection of rules you'll be playing with! Extended rules with Prep Cards and extra icons, or basic rules with only the Sorting Icons.
Q: Will this game make me an expert on all things recycling? A: Well... Yes and no. Bin Off has been designed as a way to engage a wider audience with the complexities of recycling, but the very nature of this mystifying field is that it's changing constantly. A physical card game can never hope to keep up to date with all these changes. The Binnie Encyclopedia on this website aims to keep players updated on changes to recycling methods for the characters/cards in the game, and the game itself should motivate players to go out and find out more about how they can fight the battle against landfill and rubbish piling up on our streets and amongst our environment. See the next FAQ for more info on what sources of information have influenced the creation and evolution of Bin Off!
Q: Has Bin Off been informed by credible sources of recycling information? A: The sustainability world is a complex beast... and each council has its own approach and range of challenges. To this end, I have referenced a wide variety of sources of information to ensure the knowledge within the game is up to date and relevant across a broad range of councils and sorting methods. The game has been designed with transferrable sorting methods, ensuring that it can remain relevant, even if just for motivating players to go find out more about their local recycling methods, across a wide range of councils, states and countries. Check the bottom of the Contributors page of this