Nearly one-fifth of respondents to a United Kingdom survey say they refuse to recycle their discarded materials despite any and all efforts to make it easier for them to do so.
The survey by BusinessWaste found that about 18 percent of respondents cited a myriad of reasons why they do not recycle. The reasons include a lack of enthusiasm, belief that global warming is a myth and the observation that they are not incentivized to do so.
“Some of the explanations we heard were astonishing,” says BusinessWaste spokesperson Mark Hall. “It wasn’t even members of the public who were expressing their doubts over the science behind the need to recycle – there were even company managers who are refusing to take part, even if it was hitting them in the pocket.”
Leeds, England-based BusinessWaste says it spoke to dozens of members of the public and found around 18 percent do not recycle despite either a requirement or nearby local facilities available to do so. Among those who cited reasons for their refusal were:
- Alex, who runs a medium-sized business in London: “I’m trying to run a company here, not save the planet. If the council wants to come along and separate out all my rubbish, then that's their business.” When told he was actually paying more to have non-sorted rubbish removed, he replied. “We’re doing great; we can afford it.”
- Geoffrey commented. “It’s all made up, this global warming, isn't it? I’m not going to waste my time if it’s something they’ve invented to put up our taxes. Show me the proof it's not made up.”
- “They just burn it or send it to China or something,” said Brendan. “It’s all a myth to keep us busy and not thinking about the really important stuff.”
- Vanessa said she was too busy to spare the time for recycling her discarded materials: “My local council gave me six bins for my waste. Six! I haven't got time for that, so it all goes in the main one, and it serves them right.”
- Lily, from England’s south coast, remarked, “I’m supposed to be putting all this effort into putting all my rubbish into different bins, but what do I get out of it? Nothing, that’s what. I draw the line after I've been to the bottle bank, because they need that to make more glass.”
- Vince, aged 68, says he is willing to let subsequent generations handle the problem, commenting, “I'm getting on a bit, and it’s all too much trouble and energy. By the time it all comes to a head, I’ll be dead and gone, so see if I care.”
With the U.K. recycling rate hovering at around 45 percent for some years now, “it’s becoming clear that some people may have ‘recycling fatigue,’ while large numbers never bought into the issue in the first place,” says BusinessWaste.
The company also says that while the science of climate change in universally accepted by academics, it still appears to be up for grabs among some politicians, corporations and media outlets. Unfortunately, science isn’t that good at fighting its corner, which is why the loudest voices from the skeptical side tend to be heard first, says Hall.
Hall says the majority of businesses and organizations recycle because they have a financial interest in doing so: the less they send to landfill, the less landfill tax they pay. However, many households don't have this inducement, and with a lack of bin inspections in some council areas, many people know that they can get away without recycling week after week.
“It’s sad that people still think that opinion on recycling and green issues is still up for grabs,” says Hall. “It’s not – we need to recycle because it makes financial and environmental sense. It’s high time the green industry fought back.”