In Canada, only 9% of 3.3 million tonnes of plastic is recycled, and the current curbside recycling rate in America is only 32%.
Although municipalities across North America are continuously promoting recycling programs and educational resources, recycling engagement rates remain low and contamination rates remain high.
A recent survey conducted by Republic Services shows that 88% of citizens agree that recycling is essential, but they are confused about what can be recycled. The lack of recycling knowledge has become one of the barriers to achieving desired recycling results.
Several cities across North America have introduced zero waste initiatives to achieve total waste diversion from landfills. If this goal is to be achieved, citizens need to be met where they are in their recycling journey. We’ll discuss how municipalities can meet citizens in a bit, but first, let's learn why there is still a lack of recycling awareness. We have identified two main reasons.
Recycling regulations vary depending on the municipality
There is no nationally accepted recycling list in Canada or the US, and what can be recycled usually varies between cities. Something that can be recycled in one municipality may not be accepted in another. For example, Vancouver recycles black plastic, but Toronto doesn’t. Check out the variance in accepted materials in the municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area. All of these municipalities are within a one-hour drive, could you imagine if you worked in Peel but lived in Durham?
The Canadian interprovincial migration rate has increased since the onset of the pandemic, and the variance in recycling policies has left citizens unsure about what belongs in the recycling cart. While North Americans continue to travel domestically, unclear and hard to find recycling resources make it difficult to learn the recycling regulations of each municipality.
Packaging fails to give clear recycling instructions
A study reveals that packaging is the first source of recycling information for 57% of consumers. Additionally, a study conducted by the United Nations Environment Programme and Customer International found that only 17% of labels can provide quality recycling information. While many producers have added recycling instructions to their packaging to assist consumers when recycling, this only adds to the confusion as the guidance on packaging rarely corresponds with the recycling practices of the municipality.
Municipalities can’t expect citizens to remember every detail of recycling policies and have therefore enacted initiatives to assist in recycling education. Municipalities educate citizens by advertising on billboards and sending out lengthy and tedious pamphlets. Municipalities have also adopted digital encyclopedias, such as Recollect, to help citizens learn what they can and cannot recycle. However, these approaches are ineffective. Citizens are required to search for the recycling information associated with their municipality and while most citizens are interested in recycling information, few will seek out the information themselves. This leads to a disconnect, citizens are stuck unsure of what recycling is accepted and municipalities are unsure of the level of recycling awareness their citizens maintain.
Engaging Citizens is critical for successful recycling programs and it's critical to meet residents where they are in their recycling journey. By simplifying the process and providing clear and personalized recycling information, citizens can recycle effortlessly. New technology is enabling a better means for recycling by reducing the barrier to recycling information. Check out three examples of how technologies are meeting citizens in their recycling journey below.
Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs)
Reverse vending machines collect and compact empty beverage containers and return deposits. RVMs can automatically sort accepted containers to different waste streams by scanning containers’ barcodes, materials, and shapes (learn more about how RVMs work here). Without RVMs, people have to sort containers manually, and oftentimes, not all beverage containers can be put into recycling carts. For example, plastic containers and cans belong to recycling carts, but most municipalities require citizens to send glass bottles to designated locations. RVMs simplify the beverage container recycling process by educating citizens as they dispose of containers. The automated sorting process recognizes and denies contaminated containers, leading to a pure recycling stream and a greater ability to extend the life of the materials.
Oscar Sort
Oscar Sort is an AI-powered sorting system. When waste is held in front of the Oscar bins, the attached camera identifies the type of waste and directs it to the correct cart. When citizens place their waste in the correct cart, they are recognized for their actions through a reward system. Alternatively, when waste is incorrectly placed, Oscar provides educational feedback to assist citizens in their recycling journey. Oscar Sort adds a degree of flair to their service by gamifying recycling; check out how they do so here.
HolyGrail 2.0
European Brand Association (EBA) initiated a project, HolyGrail, to educate citizens on acceptable recycling materials and automate the waste sorting process in facilities. HolyGrail uses digital watermark technology to carry recycling information and deliver it to customers and sorting machines. The watermarks are invisible codes that cover the surface of customer goods’ packaging. People can use smartphone cameras to scan codes and obtain recycling instructions. Machines in MRF or other sorting facilities can also read codes and sort materials automatically. Digital watermarks make recycling easier for citizens and sorting more efficient for facilities. Check out how watermarks work here.
HolyGrail 2.0
Loop is a global reuse platform design by TerraCycle and enabled by a group of manufacturers, retailers and consumers that aims to improve the circular supply chain. First, partner manufacturers produce reusable packaging that is sold to consumers, consumers use the product until completion and then Loop collects and cleans the packaging before returning it to the manufacturers. The project has gained real momentum, establishing partnerships with Burger King and Tim Hortons and providing reusable packing for grocery stores in Canada. Loop alleviates the burden associated with waste management for manufacturers, retailers, and consumers. Loop manages the lifecycle of reusable containers and allows their partners to focus on their core skills. Check out how Loop is eliminating waste here.
Rather than expecting citizens to become recycling experts, municipalities and companies should provide citizens with the relevant education they need to make informed recycling decisions. Education is the best strategy to improve citizen recycling engagement and reduce contamination rates. A targeted recycling education program is proven to be more impactful than a universal recycling education program. Increased recycling engagement and long term behaviour change are observed when residents are provided with relevant recycling feedback
Prairie Robotics brings recycling information directly to the resident by applying artificial intelligence to identify contamination at the source. We perform automated cart audits using cameras and machine learning technology to identify recycling contaminants. Following this, relevant education is delivered to each resident to assist in their recycling journey. Providing relevant education directly to residents is the most effective strategy to increase recycling engagement and promote long term recycling behaviour change.
Prairie Robotics works with Cities across North America to make recycling simple! Our services are used to automate manual cart audits and provide targeted education strategies, allowing administrators to focus on program and policy design instead of data collection
References
9% of 3.3 million tonnes: Retrieved from Canada is drowning in plastic waste — and recycling won’t save us | Canada’s National Observer: News & Analysis
current curbside recycling rate in America is only 32%.: Retrieved from 2020-State-of-Curbside-Recycling.pdf ( )
88% of citizens agree. Retrieved from Republic Services launches simplified recycling education program for grades pre-K through 12 - Recycling Today
Migration rate: 7.7 per thousand. Retrieved from Internal Migration: Overview, 2015/2016 ( )
57% of consumers get info from packing & only 17% of packing provides quality info. Retrieved from unep_ci_2020_can_i_recycle_this.pdf ( )
Oscar sort. Retrieved from Oscar Sort: Zero-Touch Zero-Waste Stations — Intuitive AI
HolyGrail 2.0. Retrieved from AIM - European Brands Association
Watermarks explanation. Retrieved from Digital watermarking - Wikipedia
5-min video about how HolyGrail 2.0 works. Retrieved from Could 'invisible barcodes' revolutionise recycling? - BBC News
