WASTE RECYCLING PROJECT

Waste Recycling Project



Waste Recycling Project

Introduction

In 2002/2003, England generated 29.3 Mt or 521 kg per capita of municipal solid waste (MSW), a rise of 1.8% over the preceding year; although the proportion disposed via landfill (75%) was lower than previously (DEFRA, 2004). Household waste represented 25.8 Mt (88%) of MSW, of which only 3.7 Mt (14.5%) was recycled or composted (DEFRA, 2004) despite over two-thirds of the contents of the average dustbin being recyclable or compostable (Waste Watch, 2003 Waste Watch. Available at: http://www.wastewatch.org.uk; 2003 [accessed 6/10/03].Waste Watch, 2003). Most (66%) recycled materials were collected from civic amenity ('bring') sites, and the remainder from the 67% of households served by kerbside collection ('collect') schemes (DEFRA, 2004). There was wide variation (0-44%) in household-recycling rates among the 394 local authorities (LAs) in England, where the majority (nearly 70%) failed to recycle or compost more than 15% of MSW (DEFRA, 2004). The UK recycling rate for household waste stood at 15% in 2003 (DEFRA, 2003a); this figure has been growing as a result of initiatives by local authorities such as the establishment of practical recycling schemes. However, it is still inadequate in comparison with other European Union (EU) countries and in terms of reaching the national target of 25% by 2005. Household recycling is justified by four main points (Waste Watch, 2003):

• It reduces demand for virgin raw materials;

• There are fewer environmental impacts from material extraction, processing and transportation;

• Products made from recyclates rather than virgin materials generally consume less energy in manufacturing;

• Lower down the hierarchy, less waste is disposed of by the more environmentally damaging methods.

Profiles of non-recyclers and recyclers

The availability of an effective recycling infrastructure that enables householders to recycle their waste is clearly a crucial part of any recycling programme; but so too are the many other factors which motivate householders to make use of that infrastructure. Given that household recycling in the UK is a largely voluntary activity, understanding these other motivational factors is essential if recycling practice is ever to attain its full potential and become a part of everyday household routine—as Price (2001, p. 334) says: “the role of the Local Authority and actions of the householder are paramount to the success of sustainable waste policies”. Perrin and Barton (2001) note that the key link in increasing recycling rates is the householder; Belton et al. (1994) point out that not only is public participation in recycling essential but that there must also be a market for recyclables; some understanding of the public's attitudes towards buying products made from recycled materials is therefore necessary. Whilst Thomas (2001) agrees that public participation is critical to the success of recycling, she also stresses the importance of how well that participation is performed.

Self-reporting of recycling behaviour tends to be exaggerated. Price (2001) reports that a survey in south Bedfordshire, England revealed that 83% of respondents claimed to be recycling, but studies of actual participation showed that at best only 50% were doing so on a regular basis; ...