Contact: Jennifer Killinger (202) 249-6619
Email:
jennifer_killinger@americanchemistry.com
Many Want Better Information about What to Recycle, Particularly for Plastics
WASHINGTON (November 14, 2014) - A new national survey conducted in advance of
America Recycles Day
(November 15) finds that half of Americans say they recycle 75 percent or more of their recyclable items. Eight percent say they recycle all recyclables. The survey, conducted by global insights firm Kelton Global, finds that nearly two thirds of Americans say they recycle on a "regular basis."
While these figures sound like good news for the environment, they contrast with the national recycling rate of 34.5 percent in 2012, as measured by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
According to the survey results, many Americans say they would recycle more if they had better information about what to recycle, particularly for plastics. Forty-six percent say they are more likely to recycle when they know that an item is recyclable, as opposed to when they are unsure. Among those who say they don't recycle all the time, 28 percent say it's because they don't know which plastic items are recyclable.
"While nearly all Americans have access to recycling today, this survey shows that better communication and easier access to relevant information should help improve participation rates," said
Steve Russell
, vice president of plastics for the American Chemistry Council, which sponsors the
Plastics Make it Possible®
initiative and this survey. "That's why programs such as America Recycles Day and efforts to streamline collection of plastics are essential to
increasing recycling
."
America Recycles Day
is sponsored by the nonprofit
Keep America Beautiful
and is the nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle. Keep America Beautiful also is running the national "
I Want to Be Recycled
" campaign to encourage greater awareness of the importance of recycling. In addition, supporters of plastics recycling recently developed
new guidelines
to help communities nationwide communicate about plastics recycling.
Kelton Global surveyed 1,006 adults (18 and over) from September 19 to 26, 2014, to gauge perceptions and sentiments on recycling in the United States.
For more information on plastics and sustainability, visit
plasticsmakeitpossible.com
.