WRAP’s latest Recycling Tracker report, the UK’s largest survey that’s been tracking the attitudes, knowledge and behaviour of citizens for 20 years has identified how local authorities can improve growing public uncertainty around recycling and increase confidence.
A total of 5,438 adults from across the UK were interviewed about how they deal with recycling and rubbish at home. We used these to set quotas on age, gender and region to represent the whole nation.
They told us:
- Those who have received clear communication from their local council or have seen campaigns like Recycle Now or Be Mighty in Wales feel far more confident and are more motivated to recycle.
- There is confusion over what items can be recycled, with aerosols, plastic trays and cartons often missed or disposed of incorrectly.
- Those who believe their council recycles the materials they collect are more likely to believe their recycling efforts are worthwhile. However, trust is waning.
- They want to know what happens to their recycling.
- 82% of citizens are putting non-recyclable items into their recycling bins, resulting in contamination.
- In 2020, 80% felt their efforts were worthwhile, while today, only 72% share that belief.
- Only 9% of respondents feel "very confident" in their recycling knowledge.
- They are confused and unsure, and this confusion is feeding a sense that recycling may not be worth it.
- Recyclable items are often thrown in with general waste, resulting in “missed capture.”
Together for a Circular Future
While recycling continues to be a widespread practice across the UK, there is still more we can do, to encourage citizens to recycle more of the right things, more often.
We can turn our Recycling Tracker insights into actions, by highlighting how local authorities, using resources available from WRAP, can increase citizen recycling confidence.
They include:
Increase Recycling Knowledge: Tackling contamination and missed capture requires focused, ongoing education. Our national recycling campaigns, like Recycle Now and Be Mighty, have shown that when people are informed, they recycle better.
- Your efforts during our latest Recycle Week Rescue Me – Recycle campaign clearly demonstrates your commitment to remind citizens that recycling is worthwhile.
- We encourage you to continue this momentum all year, by using our Recycle Now toolkit.
- Educate the next generation by sharing our downloadable Rescue Me board game and workshop with schools and community groups in your area.
- Download our Tackling contamination in dry recycling guide to educate citizens about the impact of putting the wrong item in the bin.
Communicate with Purpose: Build recycling campaigns all year round to boost both citizen recycling confidence and knowledge. Make it easy for citizens to understand what to recycle and why it matters.
- Keep your website and social media channels updated with what items can and cannot be recycled on a regular basis.
- Use our Recycle Now assets and resources to save you time and money when communicating with your residents.
- Update WRAP’s LA Portal with any changes to your collection services, so its accurate when citizens are searching our Recycling Locator for guidance on how and where to recycle.
Share your recycling journey: Be transparent about where recycling goes and what impact it has. By sharing your success stories, you can rebuild citizen trust that’s essential for driving better recycling behaviour.
- Offering virtual or in-person tours of MRFs and reprocessing facilities can highlight the processes involved in sorting, cleaning, and reprocessing recyclables.
- Providing this behind-the-scenes insight validates the importance of recycling and fosters a sense of trust and accountability.
- Citizens are more likely to recycle when they see the real-world outcomes of their efforts.
With the upcoming implementation of simpler recycling and packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, we need to work collaboratively to create a recycling system that works. Let’s turn these insights into action and embed circular living in every home.
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Download our Recycling Tracker Survey in the UK here.
Visit Recycle Now for our latest recycling news here.
Get in touch
For further support and information please contact WRAP’s Local Authority Support Team.
Email: la.support@wrap.ngo or visit www.wrap.ngo
Sign up to WRAP’s local authority monthly e-newsletter here.
