Issues associated with transforming household attitudes and opinions into materials recovery: a review of two kerbside recycling schemes

Abstract

New mandatory household recycling targets present a serious challenge to Local Authorities within the UK. Nine out of ten households claim to recycle, yet the National recycling rate remains at 9%. Fully understanding how to convert household attitudes and opinions into efficient participatory behaviour, within what still remains a voluntary activity, is essential if targets are to be met at an ‘affordable’ economic and environmental cost. Household attitudes and opinions towards recycling are reviewed and problems converting these positive responses into high material recycling levels are discussed. Households recycle primarily for environmental reasons and adequate scheme provision whilst ‘inconvenience/no time’ was cited as the largest barrier to recycling. Providing informative feedback to households increased overall scheme diversion levels up to a maximum of 48%, participation up to 93% and weekly set out levels up to 84%. Recoveries of all fractions increased, particularly the packaging fraction following feedback. Although both kerbside schemes increased the proportion of households claiming to recycle, they differed in relation to the level of participation, recovery of comparable materials, participant's efficiency of participation, household satisfaction and desire to change the scheme and the type of recycler attracted to the scheme. Household recycling efficiency is thought to be related to: (1) the level of inconvenience posed to the householder in relation to the type and design of the scheme offered; (2) the material being recycled; and (3) the level of change required in existing behaviours in order to participate within a particular recycling scheme.