Communications > Kirakozian Ankinéee

Are waste sorting labels efficient for improving waste sorting and recycling? Do citizens and consumers understand their content properly? What is the importance of national and local context in the design and understanding of waste sorting labels? The existing literature on waste sorting and recycling rarely scrutinizes and discusses these questions. The aim of this contribution is to understand the role of waste sorting labels in enabling waste sorting and recycling behaviours at household level and to review empirical evidence in this field. The present contribution is the outcome of a report for the European Commission (Beaumais et al. 2024).

The scientific literature on the determinants of the adoption of selective sorting behaviour is quite rich and diverse. Indeed, numerous studies have been conducted to understand the factors that influence individuals to adopt selective sorting behaviour. For instance, there is research on socio-demographic factors: several studies have shown that age, gender, education level, income and household size are socio-demographic factors that can influence the adoption of selective sorting behaviour (Briguglio, 2016). For example, the more educated and the higher the income, the more likely people are to adopt selective sorting behaviour. Second, psychological factors matter: attitudes, beliefs, values, social norms, and knowledge are psychological factors that can influence the adoption of selective sorting behaviour (Ajzen, 1991; Schultz et al., 2007; Abbott et al., 2014; Geiger et al., 2019; Czajkowski et al., 2019). In this context, people who have positive attitudes towards selective sorting and who believe that their actions can have an impact on the environment are more likely to engage in selective sorting behaviour. Third, environmental factors are also important: waste collection infrastructure, information about selective sorting, frequency of collection, availability of recycling options, and ease of access to selective sorting bins are environmental factors that can influence the adoption of selective sorting behaviour (Guagnano et al., 1995; Bartelings and Sterner, 1999; Folz, 2004; Abbott et al., 2011). In this direction, people are more likely to engage in selective sorting behaviour if they have access to effective waste collection infrastructure and are well informed about selective sorting options. Finally, economic incentives, such as variable waste tariffs or reward programs for selective sorting, can also influence the adoption of selective sorting behaviour (Halvorsen, 2008; Viscusi et al., 2008; Carattini et al., 2018). For example, people who are financially rewarded for their selective sorting behaviour are more likely to continue sorting, and people who are subject to a pay-as-you-throw system are more likely to recycle their waste.

In summary, even though the scientific literature on the determinants of selective sorting behaviour is consistent in recognising the importance of socio-demographic, psychological, environmental, and economic factors in the adoption of selective sorting behaviour, studies on the effectiveness of different labelling and design strategies to improve waste sorting behaviour show scarce evidence. To fill this gap, we outline how, why and in which context waste sorting labels may foster waste sorting behaviour and we will draw policy recommendations for improving sorting and recycling.

Before diving into empirical evidence, let us clarify the role of knowledge and information related to waste sorting labels. First, we may think that labels are only providing simple information, are easy to understand and quickly indicate the proper behaviour to adopt. However, empirical findings show that this is not the case. Rather, people make recurrent mistakes during recycling behaviours due to misunderstanding, ignorance, lack of convenience at the local level, lack of incentives in dirty places, lack of motivation when neighbours are not prone to have a pro-environmental behaviour, lack of education and learning on how to recycle properly in many contexts. Indeed, information can be interpreted and understood differently and waste sorting labels at the micro level are embedded in a cultural, geographical, and economical context at the macro level. This explains why labels do not provide isolated or independent information and why and how labels are also learnt and understood in diverse contexts (social norm, social, education, interactions...). The aim of this abstract is to both “zoom in” the micro level and to “zoom out” at a broader scale to provide an accurate and proper analysis that goes beyond the sole argument of information and “right” behaviour. Indeed, even precise sorting labels can be misunderstood and misinterpreted in some contexts and in some situations (too small, too many labels, too much information) and we cannot assume that the solution resides only on precise information and proper pictogram. Thus, we believe that a larger panorama is useful to have a finer diagnosis and for delivering proper and useful policy recommendations at national and EU level.

The quantitative methodology of our survey based on academic and “grey” literature is depicted and explained (see below).