The Waste and Resources Action Programme, or WRAP, recently conducted research to find the answers to some important questions regarding recycling in the United Kingdom. Recently the new triple bin system was implemented in the UK, which divides rubbish into separate sections which will be collected at different dates. The green and blue bins, which are for recyclables like plastics, glass, and aluminum are collected once a week, while the black bin, which his for non-recyclables will be collected once every two weeks. The study aimed to find out which recyclables aren’t being put in the bins and why.
The survey found the top five items which could be recycled but often aren’t. Most who were surveyed were unaware that these items were able to be recycled, while some said they weren’t sure how or where to take these particular recyclables. Making up over sixty percent of recyclables which aren’t being recycled are aerosol containers for things like air freshener, deodorant, and furniture polish. Most of those surveyed were not aware that these particular items were safe for recycling.
Second on the list were tins for sweets and biscuits, followed by plastic toiletry and shampoo bottles, plastic cleaning bottles, and glass jars like the ones holding cooking sauces. These items represent the bulk of those items which could be recycled but are not.
It seems that the bulk of the items found in the bathrooms and bedrooms were far less likely to be recycled than those found in the kitchen. The ease of recycling has always been a key factor to its success, which is why items in the kitchen, which are generally closer to the bin, are more likely to be recycled.
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