If You Want to Know…Ask!Market Research of Dangerous Waste

Generators2014 NAHMMA NW

Mariann Cook AndrewsHazardous Waste & ToxicsReduction Program

Why Market Research?

“I think we need to be a little more specific here in Step 2.”

How we did the survey• Worked with experts

– Social and Economic Sciences Research Service (SESRC), WSU, Pullman

– We created the questions; they ran the survey– Multiple contacts – e-mail, mail, telephone

• Kept it short– <15 minutes to complete– Each question had to have a reason for being

included• Used multiple mailing lists

– Less than optimum process

Survey metadata• Total population:

9,727 (after de-duplication)

• Sample size: 3,055• Responses: 1,231

– SQG/CESQG: 825• Response rate: ~40%

– Achieved by multiple contacts in e-mail, online, and telephone

Generator Status

Not available; 61; 5%

Don’t know definition, 85, 7%

SQG (CESQG) , 825, 67%

MQG (SQG), 124, 10%

LQG; 136; 11%

Not available; 61; 5%

Don’t know definition, 85, 7%

SQG (CESQG) , 825, 67%

MQG (SQG), 124, 10%

LQG; 136; 11%

362 respondents from Local Source Control Program

Drilling down in the data

What we used to think• What do generators value?

– Money/profit increase, esp. short-term– Market share and competiveness– Time efficiency– Their customers– Employee health and safety– Avoiding risk– Environmental benefit

• “Lead with the money”– Cost savings of P2

So we thought we had answers …but were they the right ones?

What the Respondents Said

Importance tobusiness's success?

Facility

Stayingcompe-

titive

Profit

Employ-ees

Reputa-tion

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

40

40

43

61

74

42

43

44

29

23

12

12

10

5

2

5

3

1

1

1

2

2

4

1

Completelyimportant

Veryimportant

Moderatelyimportant

Slightlyimportant

Not at allimportant

Willingness to reduce use ofhazardous materials if it:

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

42

43

47

49

49

52

55

41

44

37

37

36

38

38

13

11

12

11

13

8

5

3

1

2

2

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Completelywilling

Verywilling

Moderatelywilling

Slightlywilling

Not at allwilling

Increases worker safety

Reduces liability for operations

Simplifies compliancewith regulation

Reduces operational costs

Increases competitive advantage

Protects the environment

Demonstrates commitment to social responsibility

How often do you feel these are thereasons businesses do not follow

all the rules for proper handling anddisposal of dangerous waste?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

4

6

5

8

7

7

12

29

30

31

39

42

44

39

34

36

41

35

34

26

26

17

14

13

9

9

9

8

16

14

10

9

8

14

15

Always a reason Often a reason Sometimes a reason Rarely a reason Never a reason

CostInconvenient/ difficult to do

Don’t know what to do

Lack of training

Lack of equipment

Lack of alternatives

Lack of time

What information on dangerous waste management do you want or need for

your business operations?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

28

45

63

72

75

74

78

83

85

72

55

37

28

25

26

22

17

15

Yes No

Changes to laws/rules

For your specific type of business

Required reports/ fees

Safer chemicals

Specific wastes/ techniques

Ecology’s new initiatives

Innovative ideas/”latest thing”from other businesses

Step-by-step tutorials

Case studies

How would you like to get information about dangerous waste management?

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

10

12

21

27

38

47

54

64

69

76

77

90

88

79

73

62

53

46

36

31

24

23

Yes No

Internet

E-mail

Newsletters

Handouts

Self-guided tutorials

Wall posters

Videos

Trade shows

On-site visits

Social media

Telephone

What about Shoptalk?

Do you read Shoptalk?

How closely?40 Yes, 12%

Read it thoroughly Glance at it Save it for reading later

Toss it without reading

10

24

6

1

Usefulness of Shoptalk topics?

0

3

4

4

2

7

9

9

9

12

13

15

21

19

19

19

20

15

14

13

13

8

5

7

6

7

6

4

2

3

4

2

5

3

3

3

2

3

2

2

Completely Useful Very Useful Moderately Useful Slightly Useful Not At All Useful

How to comply with laws/rules

Safer chemicals

Rule changes

Required reports/fees

Tools, services, resources

New initiatives

New publications

Case studies

How often do you get waste management information from

the Internet?

Never or N

o Intern

et connec

tion

Rarely

Occasio

nally

Every day

Slow or poor In

ternet c

onnection

57118 160

6 1

Does having so much of Ecology's information on the Internet make it harder to find the dangerous waste

information you need?

Yes No

91

253

How reliable do you consider the following sources of information on

dangerous waste management?

Other businesses

Trade assocs./other groups

Local government

Federal government

State government

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

1

3

16

22

26

11

32

48

43

47

43

46

26

24

21

31

12

7

6

4

14

7

3

5

2

Completely reliable Very reliable Moderately reliable Slightly reliable Not at all reliable

What languages other than English are spoken at your workplace?

Spanish Korean Vietnamese Russian Other No other languages

63

7 4 617

163

Respondents’ education Small

Quantity Generator

Medium Quantity Generator

Large Quantity Generator

Total

High school or GED

11.8% 13.3% 5.1% 11.1% -- 119

Technical or vocational

12.3% 6.7% 2.2% 10.4% -- 111

Some college 31.9% 25.8% 19.9% 29.7% -- 318 Bachelor’s degree

30.5% 42.5% 47.8% 34.0% -- 365

Graduate degree

13.6% 11.7% 25.0% 14.8% -- 159

Total number 100.0% -- 1072

We are usingthe results to:

• Lead with the information most important to the audience. For SQGs – rule changes, safer chemicals, and information specific to their business types.

• Emphasize what they value – good DW management protects a business’ reputation and workers.

Results cont.• Consider the audience:

Use Web pages, e-mail, and Shoptalk when delivering DW management information to generators.

Use social media when delivering general topic information to audiences other than generators, such as news outlets.

Lessons Learned about SurveysUse experts to run the survey and analyze

results.However much time you think it will take to

prepare the questions – double it.Use good quality contact list(s).Focus on what you really need.Consult with the people to whom you will report

results. How do they want responses split out? Ask the respondents what they want or need

that they are not getting.

Where to find it on the Web2013 Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program Survey(Data Report 13-46) www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/hwtr/HWTR13DataReport_6_27_2013.pdf

Mariann Cook Andrews, Outreach SpecialistHazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program

Washington Dept. of Ecologymaco461@ecy.wa.gov

www.ecy.wa.gov