EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SIGNAGE ON REDUCING RECYCLING CONTAMINATION

Abstract

Recycling contamination has been cited by US recycling centers as having major environmental and economic consequences, which threaten the sustainability of recycling systems in certain areas. Various institutions, organizations, and local governments have attempted to promote better recycling practices through educational efforts, incentives, and other methods. Current research has ambiguous results regarding the effectiveness of information and education-related interventions designed to promote environmentally-conscious behavior. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of a particular type of educational platform aimed at reducing recycling contamination: posted signage. The convenience and accessibility of this particular type of information distribution were the main contributing factors to the decision to use posted signage for this study. Though data collection was disrupted due to closure of the school in March 2020 as a result of COVID-19 preventative measures, the study provides some useful insight for conducting similar waste-related experiments, particularly at the University of Arizona and/or similar institutions.