This blog is the final part of a four part series of blogs on transforming recycling behaviour. Read part one here, part two here, and part three here.

In India, most people have heard the term “recycling” but do not know how to explain its meaning. Only a few people understand the entire recycling process, meaning proper waste segregation rarely happens. Those who do recycle, do it on a regular basis. However, they still have to overcome barriers such as the lack of standardised recycling practices, inadequate infrastructure for recycling, lack of formal support to waste pickers and limited segregation of waste in general. (Gall et al., 2020; Joshi & Ahmed, 2016; Oguge et al., 2021; Shanker et al., 2022). 

Habits, biases, norms, and other behavioral factors are critical barriers to recycling that are often overlooked.  Addressing human behavior as a barrier is key to improving the adoption of recycling practices. This blog explores how TRANSFORM and Busara approached these barriers in India to encourage more sustainable recycling behavior. 

The approach

Our engagement followed a four-phased approach, commencing with a literature review and diagnostic research to uncover the theorised behavioural barriers and levers to recycling. The second phase included a series of co-design workshops with local stakeholders such as recycling enterprises, waste pickers and consumers to understand the context-specific structural and behavioural barriers they face to recycling. This phase also informed the solutions to address some of these barriers. 

In the third phase we validated these solutions via user feedback sessions with focus groups of consumers and waste pickers and the rapid testing of prototypes of interventions using qualitative surveys. Finally, we experimentally tested the validated interventions to uncover solutions to improve recycling behaviour in India. We tested the relevance, effectiveness and applicability of the interventions via a field experiment at a large-scale festival venue during the annual festival of ‘Durga Puja’ in New Delhi, India.

Barriers and Solutions

We found that a lack of information and awareness about the recyclability of items and the high cognitive effort required to recycle and manage waste correctly were the key barriers to recycling behavior in India. These barriers often meant recycling would be deprioritised at various stages of the waste management process, particularly when individuals need to dispose of waste in the correct bin. Interventions were designed to focus on nudges at the point of disposal to address both awareness and the friction encountered during the final stage of waste disposal.

The interventions were two-fold and included modified waste bins and social and behaviour change messaging posters that were specifically adapted to suit the local context by incorporating references to the festival and translating messages into the local languages. These posters were placed above the modified waste bins in a highly visible location. Four different categories of modified waste bins were provided and colour-coded for easy identification – red for paper, blue for plastic, green for organic, and black for metal. Each waste bin was modified with a clear compartment on top that contained real samples of waste items being generated at the festival venue (food, paper plates, plastic cups). This visual nudge made it easy for participants to match items in their hand to those displayed in the bins. The goal was to make waste segregation effortless, timely, visually intuitive, and therefore, less cognitively demanding. The interventions successfully leveraged the principles of the E.A.S.T. Framework (Behavioural Insights Team, 2014).

Did it work? 

We analysed the impact of the interventions using a mixed-methods approach. Qualitatively, trained field officers observed the behavior, conversations, and engagement of participants with the intervention. For quantitative analysis we then mapped the type of items in each waste bin, measured their total weight, and surveyed festival attendees to measure recycling intention, attitude and behavior. 

Overall, the intervention had a tangible impact on waste segregation. Participants showed a notable increase in accuracy of segregating certain kinds of waste. They also demonstrated more confidence in their ability to segregate waste and take part in pro-recycling behaviors. The research team and field officers noted a social element to recycling and waste management with festival attendees helping each other to correctly dispose of waste. 

This study underscores the importance of addressing behavioural and cognitive barriers to improve recycling practices. The successful interventions demonstrated that simple yet effective nudges, like colour-coded waste bins and clear visual cues that effectively enable individuals to “match the waste to the correct bin”, can significantly enhance waste segregation efforts.

As readers, you can take actionable steps to contribute to better recycling practices in your own communities. Start by familiarising yourself with the recyclability of common household items and setting up a clear and intuitive waste segregation system at home. Use labels or colour codes on your bins to make the process easier for everyone in the household. Additionally, spread awareness in your community by sharing tips, resources, and success stories of recycling initiatives. Small changes in your daily habits can lead to a substantial positive impact on the environment. By making waste segregation a priority, you not only contribute to reducing landfill waste but also play a crucial role in combating climate change.

References

• Gall, M., Wiener, M., de Oliveira, C. C., Lang, R. W., & Hansen, E. G. (2020). Building a circular plastics economy with informal waste pickers: Recyclate quality, business model, and societal impacts. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 156, 104685.
• Joshi, R., & Ahmed, S. (2016). Status and challenges of municipal solid waste management in India: A review. Cogent environmental science, 2(1), 1139434.
• Oguge, N., Oremo, F., & Adhiambo, S. (2021). Investigating the knowledge and attitudes towards plastic pollution among the youth in Nairobi, Kenya. Social Sciences, 10(11), 408.
• Shanker, R., Khan, D., Hossain, R., Islam, M. T., Locock, K., Ghose, A., … & Dhodapkar, R. (2022). Plastic waste recycling: existing Indian scenario and future opportunities. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 1-18.
• Team, B. I. (2014). EAST: Four simple ways to apply behavioural insights. Behavioural Insight Team, London.