Newsroom: Recycling News, Tips, and Partner Successes

Today's college students may be notorious for their short attention spans, but they are also famous for banding together en masse to support worthy social causes. School administrations can also be powerful allies in both the promotion and execution of college or university-based initiatives. By helping to integrate recycling systems into the school's day-to-day operations, colleges and universities can define best practices and set expectations for student compliance.

Today's college students will be managing households in the very near future. By setting them up to value and adopt regular recycling habits now, you will continue to see returns over time as they age and influence their spouses, children and neighbors. Some colleges are even expanding their zero waste programs off-campus and becoming thought leaders in the community at large.

Understanding the Student Mindset

‍In order to engage your student community, it's important to understand how they operate. There are two key differentiator between young students and residents in older demographics: the way they utilize technology and their social nature. We've all heard that younger generations spend a lot of time on their smartphones, and the numbers drive home how pervasive this technology really is. Recent studies show that 70% of Gen Z and Millennials preferring texts over a phone call, with 1/4 admitting to never picking up the phone at all. 48% also prefer to communicate via social media. Smartphones are central to young people's social interactions.

As a result, part of your college outreach strategy needs to meet students where they are: on their phones.

But students aren't solitary creatures who only live on their devices. College culture is also driven by group-centric activities, participation in social causes, and a sense of belonging.

How to Engage College Students

When creating an outreach strategy, consider the following:

• Use social media: Make sure your promotions have a social media component, and have resources available to respond to questions in a timely manner. A key component of getting your message across involves connecting with your students.
• Be authentic: No one likes to be talked down to, and college students are no exception.
• Don't Speak the Lingo: Unless you are a native Gen Z marketer and understand the nuances of their slang, just keep the tone neutral and the language simple.
• Engage the group: Create promotions that encourage students to create their own groups and work together. Not only will this make your programs more effective, but they'll take initiative and build on what you've started.
• Give them the tools they need: They don't need handholding, but they do need support. Always be available to answer questions.
• Reward them for good behavior: Younger generations like to know when they've done a good job, and this knowledge will help prompt further action.
• Appeal to their sense of social justice: Today's students care about the environment and each other. Show them how their activities make the world a better place, explain how to do it, and then watch them run with it.

Given their high levels of sociability, social activism, concern for the environment and accessibility through digital channels, today's college students are a great place to building a widespread recycling awareness program that will last well into life beyond college.

Our 2024 Recycling Survey results come at a time when the industry is facing major shifts.

Changing regulations, increased reliance on artificial intelligence, and expanding investment into circular economy initiatives. As the global push continues towards evolving guidelines, access to the right information will be crucial for resident participation and compliance.

Our Annual Survey, now in its 4^th consecutive year, tracks evolving trends, identifies common areas of misunderstanding, and highlights where more education is needed. Residents are quizzed about the recyclability of items based on their local guidelines, covering everything from common household materials like plastic bottles to more challenging items like drinking glasses and lightbulbs.

Environmental Impact

Residents across North America are showing continued interest in responsible waste management at home. The latest survey found that 82% of respondents believe recycling has a positive effect on the environment, a metric that has grown every year since the survey’s inception in 2021, speaking volumes to the investment local governments are putting into education.

Solving For Contamination

Contamination remains a challenge.

The overall correct answer rate for material recyclability measured at 68.9%, a slight decrease compared to previous years.

As many regions have set aggressive goals to increase recycling participation rates, proper education must be in place to combat misunderstanding and ultimately, lost materials.  

Jeff Galad, President of Recycle Coach, underscored the importance of providing accurate and accessible information, not only for recycling, but across all waste streams:

“Our mission is to help solve local waste and recycling challenges by providing residents with the information they need, when they need it. That may be information on whether or not a material can be recycled, what to do with organics, or how to properly dispose of bulky furniture and e-waste.”

Opportunities for Improved Material Recovery

Survey data reveals that misconceptions about local rules continue to result in the loss of valuable recyclables. Key findings include:

• 74.8% of respondents answered correctly when asked about plastic bottles, jars, and jugs, despite their acceptance in most programs.
• Aluminum foil containers, Tupperware, and plastic cutlery also ranked among materials that stumped residents.

Providing Communities with the Right Tools

Recycle Coach remains committed to empowering local governments with the tools they need to deliver effective education across all waste streams, including organics, yard waste, and bulky pick-up.

By leveraging on-demand digital technology, cities can ensure their residents have access to accurate, localized information when they need it most.

For the full 2025 Annual Survey results, please complete the below form.

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Plastic waste has become a significant global environmental and disposal challenge, and single-use plastics are the largest culprit of our disposable consumer lifestyle.

Globally, 450 metric tonnes of plastic are produced every year. Compare this to the year 1950, when just two metric tonnes of plastic were produced. That’s a 22,400% rise in plastic production in 70 years, and the planet can’t keep up. As the number of single-use plastics rises—nearly half of all plastic products now produced are used for single-use products—plastic waste is often incinerated, sent to landfills, or ends up littered across the earth and ocean, becoming a pollutant and heavy contributor to the climate change crisis.

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What are Single-Use Plastics?

Single-use plastics are materials made from fossil fuel-based chemicals and are intended to be used once before being discarded. These items can include grocery bags, water bottles, utensils, food packaging, and more.

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Why are Single-Use Plastics Bad for the Environment?

Single-use plastics are so widely produced and used due to their convenience. They’re usually small, seemingly innocuous, and their impact seems negligible. But when they make up nearly half of the plastic produced, they are accounting for millions of tonnes of plastic waste.

The carbon footprint left by plastic is massive:

• The extraction process and transportation of fossil fuels alone emits anywhere between 1.5 and 12.5 million metric tonnes of greenhouse gases;
• Deforesting land and pipeline construction has released 1.6 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air; and
• Plastic refinement emits another 184 to 213 million metric tons of greenhouse gases annually.

Only 9% of plastic produced is recycled, and most single-use plastics aren’t recyclable at all. An additional 19% of plastics are incinerated, leaching toxins into the atmosphere. The remaining 72% of the over 9 billion tonnes of plastic ever produced now resides in landfills or has been released into our earth and oceans. This results in adverse health effects for humans and animals, such as a rise in cardiovascular disease, birth defects, cancer, and more.

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How Can You Increase Awareness of Single-Use Plastics in Your Community?

1. Organize a community event

Work with residents to bring awareness to the impact that plastics have on the environment. There are several events that you may be interested in organizing for your community, including:

• World Oceans Day: On June 8^th, communities around the globe come together to protect the ocean by preventing plastic pollution. There are free resources available to plan your event such as cleanups, festivals, lectures, or readings.
• ‍Plastic-Free July: The month of July has been dedicated to raising awareness about single-use disposable plastics and how people can reduce their usage. Millions of people and 159 countries have participated to avoid landfill waste and reduce their eco-footprint.
• International Coastal Cleanup: For over 35 years, Ocean Conservancy has been calling on people to collect and document the trash they find along the coastline. You can use their interactive map to find a coordinator organizing a cleanup in your region.
• Host A Film Screening: Engage your community and encourage your residents to begin talking about the impact of plastics by showing a film that details the impacts of plastic usage.

2. Create public education campaigns

Develop education campaigns for your community that focus on how they can reduce their single-use plastic consumption. These campaigns can include posters, banners, ads, social media posts, and more. Focus on conscious consumer choices that residents can make to reduce their plastic footprint. Some examples include:

• Bottles: Use a reusable bottle of tap water instead of buying plastic bottled water
• Bags: Bring your own canvas tote bag instead of using plastic grocery bags‍
• Straws: Say no to plastic straws at restaurants or with your to-go drinks
• Packaging: Purchase food from small stores or bulk food stores using their own containers instead of buying pre-packaged foods
• Consider implementing a bag ban in your city, like San Francisco, CA or Santa Fe, NM

3. Implement a waste education platform

Apps like Recycle Coach allow residents to learn where they are—and that’s usually on their phones. With resources like a comprehensive collection calendar, a “What Goes Where” search tool with a camera function, quizzes, and learning resources, users have a comprehensive waste learning tool at their fingertips that makes a measurable difference in their waste practices. Municipalities also have the option of promoting local events and hosting sign-ups within the app, increasing community awareness and participation.

Reach out today to learn how Recycle Coach can help your community reach its waste goals.