National Survey of Over 1,000 U.S. Residents Provides Insight on Recycling Decisions

Study shows residents rely more on type of material than on form when recycling  

Falls Church, Va. >>> November 9, 2023  

The Foodservice Packaging Institute released a summary of findings from its Resident Messaging Survey, sharing information related to resident assumptions on recyclability, awareness of what items can be recycled, and top sources of recycling instructions. The survey focused on recycling messaging related to take-out items such as plastic cups and containers, paper cups and pizza boxes.   

“Findings from the Resident Messaging Survey will inform the development of effective messaging for FPI’s Community Partnership program as more and more communities add new items to their recycling programs,” said Natha Dempsey, president of FPI. “We share these findings with the recycling industry and communities throughout the country to help create messaging consistency and thereby improve recycling of foodservice packaging.” 

Survey respondents indicated that the type of material plays a greater role than the form, such as a cup or box, in the decision to recycle an item. Survey responses on paper and plastic cup recycling further supported reliance on material over form for making recycling decisions. 

The survey also found that two-thirds of respondents look to the package first to determine if it is recyclable, followed by information directly from the recycling program. The most relied upon information was reported to be the recycling cart/bin signage, closely followed by information on the community or recycling company’s website. 

The online survey was managed and analyzed by Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) in Fall 2022. Responses were received from 1,042 U.S. residents of at least 18 years of age reflecting a distribution of demographics roughly representative of the U.S. population and taking into consideration age and housing status. 

“Even though most residents indicated they check the package to determine recyclability, it is important to note that not all packaging meets the threshold to be labeled as widely recyclable, meaning residents are often directed to check their local program guidance,” said Ashley Elzinga, director of sustainability and outreach for FPI. “This points to the need for clear education campaigns to encourage correct recycling of materials.” 

Findings specific to foodservice packaging included: 

• 75% of respondents indicated they would recycle a paper cup. Rationale for recycling included that it was made of paper, followed by the cup form, suggesting reliance on material over form for making recycling decisions. 

• If plastic containers are shown as included in recycling guidelines, but no cups are shown, the overwhelming majority of residents would recycle a plastic cup, suggesting that most residents consider a cup to be a type of container. This also suggests that material (plastic) plays a greater role than form (cup vs. container) in the decision to recycle. 

• 90% of respondents said they would recycle a molded fiber drink carrier if presented with a sample recycling guidance brochure picturing an egg carton made of the same material. This suggests that residents will respond strongly and positively with regard to recycling behavior if shown images that look like the items they are sorting in the real world. 

FPI recommends that messaging around recyclability should consider both material and form. However, it suggests grouping recyclables by material and referring to concepts that are most relevant or intuitive to the resident (for example, “paper cup” rather than “coffee cup”) as this can aid in recall and correct recycling behavior.  Additionally, messaging that emphasizes “clean and empty” can benefit the entire residential recycling stream. 

FPI will host a webinar, focused on Insights into Effective Resident Education on December 5, 2023, at 2:00 pm ET. The webinar will share insights from the survey, discuss best practices and tools, and hear real-world examples of resident messaging. Register for the webinar here: https://recycle.zoom.us/webinar/register/6416986761849/WN_TEfRTed1Quq-RpdFus2edg  

To read the survey summary, visit https://www.recyclefsp.org/s/FPI-Resident-Messaging-Survey-2022-Summary.pdf.