By Carolina Curiel (ScrapMonster Author)

September 02, 2016 10:38:42 PM

EDGWARE (Scrap Monster): There’s still a clear generational gap when it comes to attitudes towards recycling in the workplace, new research has shown.

A survey carried out by commercial waste recycling services provider Direct365, as part of their ongoing Green365 campaign, discovered that 72% of people do recycle items at work overall.

However, the results confirmed that 18 to 24-year-olds are the least likely to follow green waste schemes (68%), whereas those in the 55 to 64 category are the most likely (84%). Generally, the data indicated that the older people are, the more inclined they are to recycle.

The fact that the youngest generation are around 16% less likely to segment their waste than their more senior peers is concerning, according to Direct365.

Phil Turner, head of digital at Direct365, commented on the survey: “While it is worrying to see such a high percentage of youngsters not taking their employers’ recycling policies seriously, we shouldn’t place the blame squarely at their feet. Things have improved dramatically in the past decade, but there are still many organisations across the UK that fail to make it easy for their staff to dispose of waste in an eco-friendly way.

“You could argue that greater awareness needs to be raised across the board, rather than solely targeting those under the age of 24.”

Encouragingly, data provided by Ferrari Packaging has shown that 83% of consumers believe that it is vital for businesses to construct programs that are environmentally friendly. Now it’s a case of putting the theory into practice, Direct365 says.

It cites one area of waste disposal that is a particular cause for concern: coffee cups. 2.5bn paper coffee cups are landfilled or incinerated. Phil Turner believes there is a great deal of pressure on businesses to become more proactive.

“Many of the people who took part in our survey will recycle at home – in fact it’s become second nature for them. It’s imperative, therefore, that their employers make it as easy as possible for them to follow the same green practices when they’re at work,” he added.

Courtesy: www.ciwm-journal.co.uk