More than half of consumers say that they recycle less at Christmas, due to the ‘overwhelming’ level of waste generated, a new study by waste management company Sortera UK has found.
In addition, confusion over bin collection days, increased packaging waste, as well as a lack of space for rubbish generated, are other reasons why recycling habits slip during the festive period.
Some four fifths of respondents said that they typically have at least one extra bag of rubbish after Christmas, with close to one in three households saying that they put out three or more additional bags on bin day.
‘People feel overwhelmed’
“Christmas waste doubles, sometimes even triples, but recycling rates go the other way,” commented Jonathan Younger, marketing director, Sortera. “People feel overwhelmed and the bins fill up fast. The good news is that with a bit of planning, it’s still easy to stay on top of recycling and make sure things go in the right bin.”
Respondents to the survey also reported uncertainty about which materials could be recycled, a lack of time to sort waste, and bins reaching capacity before the end of the holiday period. Close to a third said that they didn’t have enough space in their recycling bins, while one in five admitted to being confused as to when bins were due to be collected.
Simple habits
“Last Christmas brought a surge of packaging and Christmas wrapping into our homes and, when the bins start to overflow, it’s easy to think ‘Santa Baby bring me a bit more space’,” added Adam Herriott, senior specialist at WRAP.
“The good news is that a few simple habits can make sure your day runs smoothly. Simple steps such as flattening boxes, reusing gift packaging, and checking any changes to local collections all help keep valuable materials in circulation.”
Following on from the survey, Sortera published a Christmas Waste Guide aimed at helping consumers ‘stay green’ during the festive season. “Small changes make a big difference,” Younger added. “One of my favourites is switching from wrapping paper to reusable gift bags. They look great, save loads of time and can be used again and again, just don’t write on the tag.” Read more here.
