The Effect of Product Characteristics on Recycling Behavior

Abstract

The United States generated 251 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2012 (EPA), half of which entered landfills; paper and paperboard comprised the largest portion. Recycling paper should reduce waste and its negative environmental impact. Although most research has focused on antecedent and consequent interventions or individual characteristics associated with recycling (e.g., attitudes, knowledge), Trudel and Argo (2013) examined product characteristics. They found size of paper affected whether individuals recycled (e.g., approximately 40% recycled small pieces of paper and 80% recycled large paper). We partially replicated their methods, but conducted individual rather than group sessions, in which all participants (N = 60 typically-developing adults) were asked to dispose of all sizes and conditions of paper (twice, for a total of two trials) rather than only one piece of paper once. Results indicated nearly all participants (93%) recycled all pieces of paper (small, medium, standard, crumpled) when recycling and trash bins were concurrently available. These results are unlike those obtained by Trudel and Argo (2013). Factors including reactivity and increased awareness of recycling may account for these observed differences. We should continue to extend our knowledge regarding how packaging and other stimulus characteristics affect individuals’ recycling