Survey of consumers and businesses reveals
many Americans want to recycle, despite
confusion on what happens to materials
HOUSTON , Nov. 13,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WM (NYSE: WM), a leading
environmental solutions provider and North America's largest recycler, today
released a new report that emphasizes the importance of consumer
households, businesses, policymakers and local municipalities
working together to potentially improve the nation's recycling
system. Based on a survey of more than 1,000 American consumers and
businesses, the 2024 WM Recycling Report summarizes
data and takeaways with respect to recycling behaviors and
perceptions to better understand opportunities to bolster
recycling education, investments and accessibility in the U.S.
"Recycling is essential to enabling the circular economy, but it
works best when we work together," said Tara Hemmer, chief sustainability officer,
WM. "WM's research shows that many Americans are eager to
recycle, but they need more education and greater access to
recycling in order to build confidence in the practice. As the
demand for recycled materials continues to grow, WM is driving
solutions alongside our communities and customers by investing in
technology that can make recycling more efficient, building new
recycling facilities in areas that previously lacked access, and
helping consumers and businesses understand what and how to
recycle. Together, we can make a difference."
The report offers insight into education and access gaps as well
as opportunities for greater collaboration. Key learnings from the
survey include:
- Many Americans want to recycle, but some lack an
understanding of how recycling works and the positive impact it can
have on the environment. Many households across America
have a high desire to recycle, with nearly half (44%) reporting
that they are looking for ways to expand their recycling practices
in the future. However, while 86% of people who recycle say
they recycle plastic bottles and containers, 1 in 10 are not-at-all
confident that their plastics are actually recycled.
- Americans are likely more inclined to recycle when they have
greater awareness, education and access. Data showed 45%
of respondents cite a lack of knowledge about what can and cannot
be recycled as their biggest barrier, and 64% say if they knew more
about what to recycle and how (and what not to recycle), their
involvement would increase.
- Where consumers live can have an outsized impact on their
recycling habits. Rural areas face greater accessibility
issues – 50% of respondents in rural areas reported dealing with
more inconveniences that led to lower rates of recycling, such as
having to drive long distances or to a different site to
recycle
- Creating products with recycled content can be a
differentiator for brands and potentially drive consumer
purchase. Data indicated 75% of surveyed Americans report that
they are more likely to buy products from companies that include
recycled content in their products. But as many as 60% of those
same respondents report not having clarity on which brands use
recycled content in their products, calling for additional
education so that consumers have a better understanding.
The report, which comes ahead of America Recycles Day on
Nov. 15, highlights the critical role
recycling can play in advancing the circular economy by fueling the
continuous reuse of materials. The findings emphasize that a robust
recycling infrastructure relies on collaboration among consumer
households, businesses, policymakers and local municipalities. WM
is committed to advancing these efforts through its planned
$1.4 billion investment to upgrade
and build approximately 40 recycling facilities with advanced
technology between 2022 and 2026.
WM also works with customers of all sizes and other
organizations to advance recycling education, including through its
collaboration with the National League of Cities' Recycle
Right® campaign, through its sustainability advisory
services as the first Official Sustainability Partner of Major
League Baseball, and as the title sponsor of the WM Phoenix Open,
one of the largest certified zero-waste sporting event in the
world.
Read the 2024 WM Recycling Report here.
2024 WM RECYCLING REPORT METHODOLOGY
The Futurum Group, a research and advisory firm, was commissioned
by WM to conduct two online surveys of 1,045 consumers and
businesses in July 2024 regarding
recycling behaviors and perceptions. The consumer survey included
518 individuals over the age of 18 in the U.S., balanced to reflect
U.S. census demographics. The business survey included 527
employees from companies across the U.S., including both recycling
program service or contract decision makers within the company,
employees responsible for managing recycling programs and general
staff. Throughout the report, 'Americans,' and 'consumers,'
'residents,' 'individuals,' and 'households,' refer to consumer
survey respondents, and 'business decision makers' and 'businesses'
refers to business survey respondents.
ABOUT WM
WM (WM.com) is North
America's leading provider of comprehensive environmental
solutions. Previously known as Waste Management and based
in Houston, Texas, WM is
driven by commitments to put people first and achieve success with
integrity. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides
collection, recycling and disposal services to millions of
residential, commercial, industrial, medical and municipal
customers throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. With innovative infrastructure and
capabilities in recycling, organics and renewable energy, WM
provides environmental solutions to and collaborates with its
customers in helping them achieve their sustainability goals. WM
has the largest disposal network and collection fleet in North
America, is the largest recycler of post-consumer materials and is
a leader in beneficial use of landfill gas, with a growing network
of renewable natural gas plants and the most landfill
gas-to-electricity plants in North America. WM's fleet
includes more than 12,000 natural gas trucks – the largest
heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet of its kind in North
America. To learn more about WM and the company's sustainability
progress and solutions, visit Sustainability.WM.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements,
including all statements regarding future events, future
investments and all outcomes or benefits of such investments. Such
statements are based on the facts and circumstances as of the date
the statements are made and are subject to risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to be materially different. Please
see Part I, Item 1A of the Annual Report on Form 10-K, and
subsequent Forms 10-Q, available at investors.wm.com for
information regarding such risks and uncertainties. WM assumes no
obligation to update any forward-looking statement.
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SOURCE WM