Recycling Tracker Report Autumn 2022

Fieldwork was undertaken online in November 2022. A total of 5,251 interviews were undertaken with UK adults who have responsibility for dealing with the rubbish and recycling in the home. The sample matches the known profile of the population, with quotas set on age, gender, region, social class and ethnicity.

The tracker results demonstrate a number of key findings about recycling behaviour:

• Recycling is a normalised behaviour with 89% of UK citizens doing so regularly.
• Over half (54%) miss opportunities to recycle common items. 
• Just over four in five (83%) dispose of an item in the recycling that is not accepted. 
• There is evidence of improvement following campaigns by Recycle Now.
• On average, UK citizens dispose of 5.6 items incorrectly. A significant improvement since 2021 (6.2 items).
• Recycling performance is strongest in Welsh 'Blueprint' authorities and Southern England.
• Two in three (68%) UK citizens rate their overall recycling and waste service seven or more out of ten.
• Satisfaction is higher in Wales and Northern Ireland, among those with a food recycling collection and those with a weekly collection of recycling. 
• There is historically high recognition of the Recycle Swoosh and On Pack Recycling Label.
• Close to one in seven (14%) engaged with Recycle Week 2022 (equivalent to 7.1 million UK adults). 
• Of those who engaged with Recycle Week, close to half (47%) say they did something different as a result.

Download the full report.