Currently, the colors and icons for classifying trash cans in public places worldwide are not uniform. The various manufacturers’ trash classification stickers are varied and messy. As a result, it takes a long time for people to recognize and judge icons. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the recognition of various resource recycling and trash sorting icons and find easily identifiable icon design elements. This study used questionnaires to investigate the participants’ cognition about the “colors” and “icons” for trash classification and to find highly recognizable icons for resource recycling and trash classification. The first phase of the questionnaire required the participants to select the most suitable color for each type of trash classification from 15 different colors. Some icons for the seven trash classifications were designed for investigation in the second phase of the questionnaire. Each trash classification was provided with five potentially representative icons for selection. The participants must select the most recognizable icon for each trash classification. The results of the second stage of the questionnaire obtained the best icons for the seven types of trash classification, with a recognition rate of more than 85% for each icon obtained. The results of this study provide a set of easily recognizable solutions that can be applied anywhere trash sorting icons need to be presented.