13.09.2006
Incentives which offer vouchers to households and funding to schools and competing villages can result in significant increases in recycling levels according to a report by the University of Brighton.
Primary schools in Lewes, Rother, Sompting and Steyning and community areas in Eastbourne, Hastings, Haywards Heath, Wick, Worthing and Mid-Sussex villages took part in the trial schemes which started in November last year.
The Western Road Primary School in Lewes receive a cheque for £406 from the Waste and Energy Research Group at the University of Brighton
The report launched at a conference in London this week, evaluated a series of pilot projects across East and West Sussex and the results will be used to inform recycling initiatives in other areas in the UK.
Although around 50 schemes were funded throughout the UK by the government through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), many of these were one-off trials.
The Sussex project, designed by the University of Brighton was unique in that it evaluated the success of the various components of the incentives. This systematic approach resulted in clear lessons for the future.
The research revealed that if vouchers are given to households the value must be at least £1; the shops where vouchers can be used should be within half a mile of supermarkets; and residents must not already be high recyclers for improvements of over 10% to be seen.
The results showed that schemes work regardless of the economic background of the households and regular feedback to householders was an important element of the success of the scheme.
The research also found that for community and school schemes to be successful the householders involved must have a strong community identity and mustn't already be high recyclers for improvements to be seen. Again regular feedback was an important element to the success of the scheme.
However, these incentives are intended as only a short-term measure to teach householders new habits and further work is underway to determine the long-term effects of these initiatives and whether they are cost-effective.
Dr Marie Harder who led the research project said: "This set of pilot projects was an excellent example of two County Councils and all the District and Borough Councils working together with the university can achieve results that are useful to the rest of the UK and other countries working hard to increase recycling."
For further information see: www.brighton.ac.uk/werg
Dr Harder can be contacted on 642539.
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton, 01273 643022
