attitudes to waste & recycling in southend survey and focus group research with local residents
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Attitudes to Waste & Recycling in Southend Survey and focus group research with local residents In association with Sauce Consultancy. Emma Cheesman Recycling Services Manager. Provide a base line Understand residents perception of services Identify areas for improvement - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Attitudes to Waste & Recycling in SouthendSurvey and focus group research with local residents In association with Sauce Consultancy
Emma CheesmanRecycling Services Manager
www.coryenvironmental.co.uk
Objective of Survey
• Provide a base line• Understand residents perception of
services• Identify areas for improvement• Market segmentation = direct marketing
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Methodology
• Results based on 845 interviews conducted with residents from three areas of Southend in February 2009 (Leigh, Thorpe Bay & Southchurch).
• Respondents were categorised into the following 4 ACORN (A Classification of Residential neighborhoods) demographic groups:• ACORN 1: affluent achievers • ACORN 3: comfortably off, retirement areas • ACORN 4: modest means, family areas • ACORN 5: hard pressed, family areas
• The survey reached a good cross-section of age groups. The majority of respondents were female (67%) and White British (96%).
• Two focus groups were also conducted with local residents in March.
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56%
32%
6%
5%
Very important
Q. How important is recycling to you?
Fairly important
Not very important
Not at all important
Base: 845 Southend Residents aged 16+, face to face and in home, Feb 2009
Importance of Recycling
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Importance of recycling – ACORN groups
65%
60%
64%
44%
ACORN 1: Affluent achievers
ACORN 3: Comfortably off
ACORN 4: Modest means
ACORN 5: Hard pressed
Base: 845 Southend residents categorised into 4 ACORN groups, surveyed Feb 2009.
Q. How important is recycling to you?
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Effort to recycle
59%
35%
6%
I recycle even if it requires additional
effort
Q How much effort do you put into recycling?
I recycle if it does not require
additional effort
I do not recycle
Base: 845 Southend Residents aged 16+, face to face and in home, Feb 2009
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Social normalisation of recycling
41%
7%2%
9%
41%
Don’t know
Q Would you agree or disagree that most people in the area recycle?
Base: 845 Southend Residents aged 16+, face to face and in home, Feb 2009
Strongly agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Agree
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28%
63%
Agree
Don’t know – 5%
Q. Would you agree or disagree that recycling is now just a part of our everyday, normal routine?
Base: 845 Southend Residents aged 16+, face to face and in home, Feb 2009
Strongly agree
2% - Strongly disagree
Household normalisation of recycling
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Household normalisation – national comparisons
41%
54%
63%
28%
Strongly agree
Base: 845 Southend Residents aged 16+, face to face and in home, Feb 2009
Base: 1,512 householders across 9 Local Authorities. Autumn 2007, WRAP
Q Do you agree or disagree that recycling is now just a part of our everyday, normal routine?
Tend to agree
England Southend
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Non recyclers – reasons
23%
14%
12%
9%
9%
Q What prevents you from recycling?
Can’t be bothered
Too busy or not enough time
No, or poor, service collection
Too difficult
Not enough space in my home
Base: 57 respondents who stated that they did not recycle.
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Levels of claimed recycling – specific materials
91%
89%
88%
84%
83%
83%
80%
92%
Q How often do you recycle different materials?
Base: 789 respondents who stated they do recycle.
Magazines
Newspapers
Cardboard
Plastic bottles
Juice/ milk cartons
Glass bottles/ jars
Drink cans
Food tins
% say recycle “all of the time”
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Levels of claimed recycling – specific materials
68%
67%
65%
60%
50%
46%
27%
Base: 789 respondents who stated they do recycle.
Yellow Pages
Food waste
Plastic carrier bags
Plastic other
Kitchen foil
Old clothes
Aerosol cans
Q How often do you recycle different materials?
% say recycle “all of the time”
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Information & Knowledge
14%
10%
4%
4%
69%
What can and can’t be recycled
Q. What information regarding your recycling would you like to receive?
How to dispose of electrical and electronics equipment
What happens to recycling after it has
been collected
Base: 845 Southend Residents aged 16+, face to face and in home, Feb 2009
Service changes e.g. bank holidays
No info requested
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92%
77%
73%
52%
52%
34%
Q. Which, if any, of the following recycling schemes and facilities do you use?
Pink sack recycling collection
Household waste & recycling centres
Food waste collection
Recycling points at supermarkets
Kerbside collection for textiles
Garden waste collection
% use the service
Use of services
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1. 65% of residents in Southend are defined as committed recyclers, as defined by WRAP, in line with the national average.
Key findings
• Committed recyclers = Someone who…
…Believes recycling is “very” or “fairly” important
…Will recycle ‘even if it requires additional effort’
…Recycles at least 'a lot but not everything' +
NATIONAL AVERAGE = 65%
SOUTHEND = 65%
+
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82%
30%
14%
Regularly use reusable bags
Q Do you do any of the following?
Compost at home
Junk Mail Prevention
Waste minimisation behaviours
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Key findings
1. Recycling is generally considered a social norm in Southend.
2. Use of services is high – e.g. 92% use the pink sack service.
3. Awareness of the services are high. Residents feel well informed and content with the information provided. There is strong demand to know more about what happens to recyclables after collection.
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4. Residents do not seem able to readily make the connection between their recycling behaviour and buying products with recycled content. In most cases the act of recycling itself is seen as enough.
Key findings
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Recommendations• Post collection – inform residents what happens to recyclables;
possibility of visits to MRF
• Promote food waste service and (new) streets dual recycling/ litter bins
• Increase residents awareness of waste minimisation – in particular food waste
• Educate residents to be able to readily make the connection between their recycling behaviour and then buying products with recycled content .
• Commence High Performing Area Project. Project to understand how we can achieve 60% recycling rate in a representative section of Southend (Southchurch). Key successes from project to be disseminated borough wide.