MILAN - A simple gesture that allows for improving recycling practices at the office and meet the needs of even the laziest people. It was approved by a study commissioned by "Keep America Beautiful", which has also identified a new trend intended to improve the quantity and quality of materials collected in the workplace. How? Through simple "desk-wastebaskets".
Recycling at Work
The research focused on the effect of the placement of an additional small wastebasket for some worker's desks in four different American cities: Atlanta, Boston, Houston and San Diego. Each city was equipped with a different programme:
- Equal-size. Employees were given two identical baskets, one for recycling and one for household waste.
- Recycling only. Employee were only provided the desk wastebasket intended for recycling with the aim of facilitating this practice and discouraging production of other types of trash.
- Little trash. The desks were equipped with a small hanging desk wastebaskets to make it more difficult to produce large amounts of trash.
- Lastly, a control group was only provided basic information on recycling without making changes to the desks.
Results
The study found the “little trash” approach to be the best, which led to a 20% increase in the quality of recyclable materials and a significant increase in knowledge of correct recycling. However, the “recycling only” option implemented as a single solution was not very well received because it was perceived as an obligation. Therefore, the best way is still education and active involvement of people which must be made responsible by focusing more on awareness rather than imposition.
by editorial staff
