Recycling inequality
Recycling has increased dramatically across the UK; a fact underlined by the recent news that some local authorities are now recycling more than 60% of household waste, equal to some of the highest rates in Europe.
To achieve this level, local authorities have to ensure that all of their residents are engaged in recycling. Consequently, the attention of those involved in promoting recycling has turned to targeting so-called 'hard-to-reach' groups.
In this instance, 'hard to reach' refers to people who present a logistical challenge to the delivery of a convenient and well communicated recycling service. These groups tend to include: those on lower incomes; people living on estates, in rented accommodation or in remote rural areas; Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities; and young people. But this kind of social pigeon-holing can be counter-productive. In our experience, such generalisations can often cloud the real reasons behind these groups' lower levels of recycling.
It is not that these groups are somehow predisposed to being more wasteful than any other, but rather a variety of societal and infrastructural barriers have hindered their ability to recycle. Nor is it the case that these groups show a wanton disregard for the environment or even a reluctance to recycle. Indeed the vast majority believe recycling is important, worthwhile and even a civic duty. The problem lies in both a real and perceived sense of social exclusion and inequality regarding the provision of local recycling services.
In the rush to meet government recycling targets, a two-tier recycling service has emerged in some parts of the UK, which inadvertently treats people differently depending on where they live. While limited local authority resources have understandably been prioritised to target the easier to reach kerbside properties, flat dwellers have sometimes been left behind. This has resulted in a 'green gap' emerging between those who recycle and those who don't.
For those who don't recycle, recyclers are often seen as white and middle class. And although this perception is changing as environmental issues become more mainstream, some sections of society still do not think of recycling as part of their own lives and normal routine. This is especially true in more deprived areas where other environmental issues, such as fly-tipping and car abandonment impact more greatly on people's everyday quality of life.
Waste Watch has worked closely with local communities to identify the barriers to recycling and to find practical ways of overcoming them. This has included working with resident groups to set up Recycling Clubs on estates, with young parents through the government's Sure Start programme and with faith and ethnic communities representing a range of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
In our view, the key to increasing participation is by making all recycling services convenient and as easy as to use as kerbside schemes. This can be challenging and costly - much of the UK's social housing stock was not designed with recycling facilities in mind. But with a bit of imagination, investment and political will, this imbalance can be rectified.
As the cost of landfilling waste and recycling targets increase, there is mounting pressure on local authorities to get more people recycling. To do this, more councils are considering measures such as compulsory recycling and, perhaps one day, schemes that charge or reward people depending on how much they recycle and how much they throw away. This will inevitably bring the inequality of some local services into sharper focus. As more people face penalties for not recycling, the provision of recycling services is set to become an important social justice issue, which local government and communities will have to move quickly to address.
