Dive Brief:
- The American Chemistry Council announced the results of a new national survey on the state of recycling across the U.S.
- The survey, conducted by Kelton Global, determined that almost 2/3 of Americans claim to recycle on a regular basis.
- In addition, half of the residents across the country said that they recycle 75% or more of their recyclable materials, while 8% say that recycle everything that is recyclable.
Dive Insight:
The results of the survey offer a distinct contrast to the national recycling rate, which the EPA pegged at 34.5% in 2012. It was concluded, through survey responses, that many Americans feel that they would recycle more if more comprehensive information about what to recycle were available.
Respondents singled out plastics as a material that often leads to confusion over recycling protocols. Of survey participants who admitted to not recycling all the time, 28% said it was because they weren’t sure which plastics were recyclable.
Some firms are working to address this knowledge gap. In September, a new resource, Plastics Recycling Terms & Tools, was launched to aid with consumer awareness about plastics recycling.