A new report by Barratt Homes reveals 71% of British people surveyed agreed that it is too confusing to know what can and can’t be recycled.
Ahead of Global Recycling Day on 18 March, the UK’s recycling guilty secrets report shows that 71% of those surveyed admitted to knowingly disposing of recyclable items into general waste rather than recycling them, with almost half hiding recyclable items at the bottom of their regular waste bins.
54% of those surveyed admitted to putting something they knew couldn’t be recycled in the recycling bin.
Barratt Homes says the report combined UK government recycling data and the findings of a survey of 2000 people across Britain.
Kitchen roll was the most common household item which those surveyed confused for being recyclable (32%). Clothes came in second, with 21% stating they can be put in the at-home recycling bin.
Cartons were revealed as the most common household item that those surveyed thought should be thrown away instead of recycled as 40% stated it is unrecyclable. Next up are glass bottles, with 35% stating they can’t be recycled, closely followed by tins at 32%.
Fitting recycling into your lifestyle is one of the best ways to remain on track with your recycling habits.
Gareth Rondel, head of sustainability delivery at Barratt Homes, commented: “Fitting recycling into your lifestyle is one of the best ways to remain on track with your recycling habits.
“Sustainability and becoming more eco-friendly has never been more important, with households around the UK striving to contribute towards a greener planet. By becoming more mindful of what and how we are recycling, a small change in household behaviour can make a huge difference across the nation.
“Our study highlights the areas of recycling that Brits are unfamiliar with and, from this, we can work to educate ourselves on how we can improve our recycling habits.”
