Reward schemes could help increase waste recycling rates in UK

UK's recycling reward scheme Greenredeem has found that encouraging rewards-based behaviour change schemes is the only way to increase recycling rates in the country following Brexit.
Thommy Weiss, pixelio.de

Greenredeem said this after reviewing individual recycling behaviours associated with over two million kerbside collections over two years. Greenredeem which incentivises consumers to reduce waste by providing personalised shopping discounts and special offers every time they recycle.

Greenredeem’s analysis found that its members recycle twice as much and twice as often as non-members of the scheme.

Greenredeem is of the view that a nationwide shift to recycling reward schemes could help increase the recycling rates in the country. The recycling rates have seemingly flat-lined at around 45% of household waste in Britain.

“Although it is unclear whether the 50% recycling rate target will be enforced post-Brexit, the country’s recycling rate has ground to a halt and there is still much to do from an environmental and ethical point of view that policymakers must consider,” said Greenredeem’s director of marketing and communications Rob Crumbie.

The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and Halton Borough Council have achieved significant growth in recycling rates over the last six years after adopting a recycling incentive initiative.

Halton’s household waste recycling rate was 30% before the initiative. However, after six years of using a rewards-based waste management scheme, Halton’s recycling rate increased to 47%, which was well above the UK average of 45%.

The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead’s waste recycling rate also increased 12% over the same six-year period.

Greenredeem said that rewards schemes that offer ‘quick-win’ incentives have struggled to achieve similar results. A strong communication channel that underpins all activity is crucial to the success of any behaviour change scheme, said Greenredeem.

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