Almost half of Queenslanders believe the rubbish they place in recycling bins is not being properly recycled.
The lack of confidence in the recycling process has prompted an awareness campaign by waste management company Cleanaway.
The company’s Recycling Behaviours Report states that 40 percent of Queenslanders surveyed lack trust in their recycling being properly recycled.
It also found cost-of-living pressures were having an impact on people selecting eco-friendly products, with only 5 percent saying they would buy them.
The survey found almost a quarter (22 percent) of Queenslanders found recycling confusing.
Cleanaway General Manager of Solid Waste Services Queensland Aaron Carter said the company had launched an education campaign (example video below) to encourage people to keep recycling and help create a circular economy.
Mr Carter said the social media campaign aimed to help Queenslanders reach the state’s goal of diverting 80 percent of refuse from landfill by 2030.
Other survey findings included:
- Most people (94 percent) understand the value of recycling, motivated by a desire to help the environment.
- About one in three people (34 percent) find it hard to find clear instructions about how to recycle.
- More than one in five people do not know how to dispose of disposable face masks (29 percent), chemicals (26 percent) or paint cans (20 percent).
- Most people are confident in disposing of hard plastics (88 percent) and paper and cardboard (92 percent)
- Queensland tops the nation in use of reusable shopping bags (92 percent)
