The average American doesn’t know their city’s recycling initiatives: poll

This story version has been formatted as an on-air script for broadcast outlets. See the original research story here.

HOW SERIOUSLY DO YOU TAKE RECYCLING? ONLY ONE-THIRD OF AMERICANS CLAIM THEY DO THEIR PART.

ONE IN THREE (29%) ADMIT THEY TRY TO DO SO WHEN THEY CAN, AND 9% OWNED UP TO THE FACT THAT THEY DON’T RECYCLE AS MUCH AS THEY SHOULD.

A NEW SURVEY OF 2,000 AMERICANS REVEALED THAT RESPONDENTS ARE DETERRED BY UNDER-REGULATION AND CONTAMINANTS (20%) AS WELL AS A LACK OF FAITH THAT THE MATERIALS WILL ACTUALLY BE RECYCLED (16%).

CONDUCTED BY ONEPOLL ON BEHALF OF CG ROXANE, RESULTS FOUND FOUR IN FIVE (79%) ADMIT THEY COMMITTED A “RECYCLING SIN” OVER THE PAST YEAR, LIKE NOT VERIFYING WHAT MATERIALS THEIR PRODUCTS ARE MADE FROM (30%).

BUT EVEN SO, 17% ARE LIKELY TO CALL OUT A STRANGER FOR THROWING PLASTIC IN A TRASH CAN, WHILE A WHOPPING 57% WILL CONFRONT A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER FOR THE SAME OFFENSE.

Survey methodology:

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by CG Roxane between May 8 and May 12, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).