90% want to see businesses doing more to protect environment
Recycling rates also drop dramatically when out of the home, with only 40% of Irish adults placing their drink cans in recycling bins when at work and only 29% doing so when out and about.
Every Can Counts commissioned the research to coincide with its International Recycling Tour which takes place in 17 countries to mark World Environment Day, aiming to raise awareness of drink can recycling and encourage people to keep public outdoor spaces clean.
According to Every Can Counts’ new research, 91% of Irish respondents to its survey said that companies should only use packaging that’s infinitely recyclable, with even more (94%) believing that firms should be held responsible for the packaging they select.
Seven in 10 Irish adults believe that consumers should be held responsible for the packaging they buy, proving that it’s businesses that are being held accountable for making a change.
However, Irish people themselves are committed to supporting the initiatives available to them to protect the environment too, with 79% prioritising reducing waste and 70% encouraging individuals to recycle more.
When it comes to recycling at home, two-thirds (67%) of Irish people surveyed admitted to always recycling their drink cans, although that means a third (33%) still aren’t in the habit of doing so.
Recycling rates also drop dramatically when out of the home however, with only 40% of Irish adults placing their drink cans in recycling bins when at work and only 29% doing so when out and about.
Perhaps improved recycling infrastructure could go some way towards resolving the problem, with 69% saying they’d like more recycling bins in public areas and 61% favouring implementing deposit/return schemes.
“Drink cans recycle forever,” said Tom Giddings, Director of Every Can Counts Ireland, “This is the main message of our International Recycling Tour and the reason why we’re working to inspire behaviour change and help reach 100% can-recycling in Europe and beyond.
“This ambitious target can only be reached if consumers, brands, event-organisers and local communities join forces to recycle every drink can, working together to build a more sustainable planet.”
The International Recycling Tour’s goal is to remind people that keeping public outdoor spaces clean is a collaborative effort. Small everyday acts, like proper waste disposal, can help us all towards a more sustainable living and a healthier planet.
With this in mind, more than 100 recycling ambassadors will roam parks, cities and beaches, donning their vibrant backpacks to help raise awareness of drink can recycling in Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, and the UK.
