The behavioural techniques helping people to recycle

Prompted by this year's Sustainability Day, which is marked annually on the last Wednesday of October, four behavioural scientists have shared their recommendations for simple but effective ways to encourage people to recycle more.

According to UK government data, correct as of June 2023, the household recycling rate for England was 44.1%, 48.4% in Northern Ireland, 41.7% in Scotland, and 56.7% in Wales. Recycling rates are improving, but there's still a long way to go.

Behavioural science consultancy Influence at Work has helped drive positive behaviour change around the world, from reducing fare evasion on public transport, increasing vaccine uptake and even persuading people to pay their taxes on time.

Founded by psychologist Dr Robert Cialdini, and chief executive Steve Martin, scientists at Influence at Work use behavioural science to change human behaviour in areas like finance, health and environment. Here are tips from four of their team…

'I'm not rubbish – recycle me!' – Owen Powell

Owen Powell is a Principal Behavioural Scientist at Influence at Work. After a degree in mathematics, he went on to take a Masters in Behavioural Science at LSE. Owen has focused his academic research on identifying low-cost digital approaches to promoting pro-environmental commuting habits as well as influencing change across public health, hospitality and utilities. He stresses that by encouraging a change in behaviour first, attitudes and intentions will eventually follow.

'Manufacturers could help by putting clearer markers on the waste that it is recyclable. Help people to remember at the key moment: "I'm not rubbish - recycle me!". It's vital that we recognise the importance of creating a social norm around recycling. Tell people what similar others, like neighbours or households of a similar size, are doing well with household recycling. By using the "foot in the door" technique and getting households to sign up to a simple request, like a sticker for their front window or recycling bins that signal their championing of recycling in the neighbourhood. Ideally something that can be seen by those who pass the house.'

'Use implementation intentions' - Clara Federrath

Clara Federrath, a Senior Behavioural Science Consultant with a Masters in Behaviour Change from UCL where she was also awarded the Faculty Medal for her pro-social contributions. She leads a widespread rosta of projects including ones that focus on improving health outcomes in children and young people. Clara's research has found that making behaviours more automatic is essential when persuading people to change their behaviour.

'There is a technique which research shows has been successful in getting people to recycle across certain contexts, in this case office workers. The technique is called "forming implementation intentions". The idea is quite simple; people are asked to make a plan along the lines of "if I do x, then I will also do y". So, you link the situation to an action which makes the behaviour feel more automatic. For example, "IF I have files to get rid of THEN I will choose the wastepaper recycling bin, not the general waste." Interestingly, this works almost as well as placing a personal recycling box on the desk of each employee. This ties in with another point which may seem obvious but can be overlooked, such as providing people with the necessary resources to enable them to recycle. For example, having separate bins or giving households separate bags.'

'Simplify behaviours, offer timely prompts, and fuel motivation to drive impactful environmental action.' - Olivia Pattison

Psychologist and Senior Behavioural Science Consultant, Olivia Pattison, completed a Masters in Applied Psychology and Economic Behaviour and specialises in projects with a pro-social and pro-environmental focus in both the private and public sectors. Olivia stresses that the simpler and easier the action, the more likely it is that someone will do it.

'Generally speaking, we understand that simplifying a behaviour and providing timely prompts (such as placing an informative sticker on a wheelie bin's lid) enhances people's ability to engage in environmentally responsible actions. The real challenge arises when the desired behaviour demands greater effort and offers little personal benefit, as is often the case with pro-environmental change. In these cases, motivation becomes a critical factor. It's not merely about knowing what you should do; you also need the motivation to follow through.'

'Use convenience to turn commitment into action' - Michelle Klotz 

Behavioural Scientist Consultant Michelle Klotz has worked on projects spanning the promotion of sustainable farming practices, encouraging health data sharing, and building trust in the financial industry since completing her Masters in Behavioural Science at LSE. She stresses that it's one thing to care about the environment and be committed to the idea of recycling but it's quite another thing to act consistently.  

'There's something to be said about convenience as a factor to turn the commitment into action. We know that making behaviours easier has a large effect on how people act, especially when it comes to recycling, so a great tactic is to just make recycling bins more accessible. Something as simple as moving recycling bins closer to where people produce recyclable waste (i.e., inside offices, kitchens, and living areas) is effective at getting people to recycle. Better yet, try moving general waste bins further away from these areas, prompting people to reconsider if they could recycle that item instead before walking the extra distance.'