applying human psychology to recycling
DESCRIPTION
This is the updated slides to the recycling section of the talk I gave at Green Drinks Singapore on 1st Jul 2010TRANSCRIPT
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Influencing users to recycle and recycle correctly by applying Human Psychology
June 2010 Marcus Tay Guan Hock
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Contents
1. Tackling Recycling Contamination2. Recycling bin designs lessons
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Let’s Imagine
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
IMAGINE:
You are done with a fruit juice plastic cup:
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
And you see the following recycling bins:
What would you do?
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Did you recycle correctly?
National Environment Agency (NEA) spokesman : throwing waste such as leftover food and drinks into the bins contaminates the recyclable materials and renders them non-recyclable.
RECYCLING CONTAMINATION
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Did you recycle correctly?
NEA URL on Brochure for recyclables: http://app2.nea.gov.sg/data/cmsresource/20100120281853527479.pdf
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
How serious is contamination of recycling bins?
• NEA: About one-fifth of all waste deposited in recycling bins could not be recycled.
Straits Times 15 Jun 09
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
KK Hospital Recycling bins in June 2009 – Plastic containers only
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
What do you think is the solution?
Singaporeans just don’t have the culture…. • Look at Japan, Germany….• Users just need to be educated …
Straits Times Discussion Board Replies to the article:
“Maybe a public campaign should be launched to educate the public on how to use the recyclable bins.….”
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
EDUCATION!EDUCATION!!EDUCATION!!!
BUT HOW TO EDUCATE?
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Singapore national recycling vs. contamination?
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Recycling well labelled?
“Recycling bins are clearly labelled with the materials that can be placed in them.” Singapore Environment Coucil reply to the article
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Not really…
Another Straits Times Discussion Board Reply:“… I for one, was surprised to read from the papers that cardboards that hold food cannot be recycled, cos now I am guilty of throwing my pizza box into the recycle bin.”
Need to move beyond just labeling paper, plastic into labeling types of paper and plastic accepted.
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
NUS Recycling Story.
Our success and techniques
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Contamination in NUS (Before Nov 2008)
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Results in Jan/Feb 09
Level of contamination dropped drastically. Not perfect
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Vital Behaviours in tackling recycling contamination
1. Educate what can be recycled
2. Educate at the point of throwing
3. Pair Trash bin with recycling bin
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
VB1:Can it be recycled ?
Common recycling bins in Singapore only label “Paper, plastic, cans”
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Need to move beyond just labeling paper, plastic into labeling types of paper and plastic that are accepted.
VB1:Can it be recycled ?
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
• Expect Error from User = Specific about what to throw– Reference:“Nudge – Improving Decisions about
Health, wealth and Happiness”
VB1:Can it be recycled ?
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
VB2: Educate at point of throwing?
Email circularPresentations during lectures
Poster on Noticeboards
V.S
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Instructions right at the point of throwing
VB2: Educate at point of throwing?
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
• For prompts to be effective, they need to be presented as close in time and space as possible to the targeted behaviour…– Reference: McKenzie-Mohr, D., & Smith, W. (1999).
Fostering sustainable behavior: An introduction to community-based social marketing (2nd ed.)
VB2: Educate at point of throwing?
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Jurong Bird Park doing so as well – May 2010
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
VB 3: Pair Trash bin with recycling bin
• Expect less from good human behaviour– Give people an option not to throw into the
recycling bin if it can not be recycled
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Other measures in tackling contamination
Oct 2008 – Feb 2009
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Education Campaigns
1. Email circular2. Message of the Day (MOTD)3. Presentations during lectures
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Engage the Housekeepers
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Humourous Approach by students
Youtube Link to video
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Which is the key measure?
Instructional Stickers at disposal hole
Pairing Recycling bins with Trash bin
Engaging the Housekeepers – keeping bins facing forwardRecycling Video Lecture Talk by SAVE
Mass Emails
Efforts of Oct 2008 to Feb 2009
No complaints yet from Veolia since Aug 2009?
Contamination standards is good enough for industry! And they pay us for it!
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Other lessons in bin design
Poka Yoke (Mistake Proofing) is the way to go
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Different holes for different items
The use of specialized container lids increased recycling compliance rate by 34% and reduced the amount of contaminants entering the recycling stream by 95%.
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Colour scheme of Trash bins
Green Trash Bin vs Green Bottles Recycling Bins– These 2 bins should not be placed side by side
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Solution: Different colour for trash bins• Colour scheme of Trash bins – Grey Bins
– Gradually replace current green trash bins with bluish grey ones over time
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Take the human error out of recycling bins display• Square recycling bins
– No need to remind housekeepers to have round recycling bins all facing front
V.S
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Black labels to make up for vertical wordings
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
New bins with lots of thoughts put in
• Horizontal words – Easy reading
• Instructive description: – “Non recyclables” vs
“Others” or “Trash”– “Empty cans, Clean
Paper”
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
New bins with lots of thoughts put in
• Straight sides prevent turning– Less need to
train/remind housekeepers to have bins face front
• Instructive stickers made right on top
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Posters to align bins for housekeepers• For bazaar areas where bins are always moved
– Assist housekeeping staff to get order of colours correct.
– Lend formality to the entire system
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Summary
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Recycling Bins Design Tips Summary
– Expect Error from users• Be specific about what can be recycled
– Timing of education• Educate at the point of recycling
– Expect less from good human behavior• Partner trash bins with recycling bins
Office of Estate and Development, Office of Environmental Sustainability
Recycling Bins Design Tips Summary 2
– Consistent colour coded bins• Minimise mistakes by users, impression of a system
– Designed not only for the users but also for the housekeeping staff
• Straight sided bins to prevent turning• Big Signage to indicate order of bins in areas where they
are always moved around