Recycling Questionnaire - I Would Like To Know Your Opinion

[martin1986]

Hello to all,

My name is Martin Wright and I am a student at Huddersfield University. I am studying product design and am currently undertaking a research project based around sustainable domestic living. Below shows a questionnaire on recycling. If you could take a few minutes to give me your opinion it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time.

Martin.

1. Do you recycle in any way? (Please State)




2. What do you recycle? (Tick All Applicable)

(Paper / Cardboard) (Plastic) (Glass) (Cans)

Other (Please State)


3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? (Tick All Applicable)

(Recycling Bin Collection) (Bottle Collection) (Furniture Collection) (None)

Other (Please State)


4. How often do these procedures take place?

(Weekly) (Once A Fortnight) (Monthly) (Longer)


5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?

Yes No

Explain?




6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?






Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

Age (in years):


Sex:

[Sherlock]

. Do you recycle in any way? (Please State) collections and recycling site garden compost




2. What do you recycle? (Tick All Applicable)

(Paper / Cardboard /) (Plastic / ) (Glass / ) (Cans / )

Have huge ex orange container compost bin 2.2m x 1.2m for house and garden compostablesOther (Please State)



3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? (Tick All Applicable)

(Recycling Bin Collection) (Bottle Collection / ) (Furniture Collection / ) (None)

Other (Please State)


4. How often do these procedures take place?

(Weekly) (Once A Fortnight / ) (Monthly) (Longer)


5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?

Yes





6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?

dudtbin police!






Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

ex solar heatingservice engineer with 27 years experience

over 50 and under 60

Male

[tufftie]

1. Do you recycle in any way? (Please State)
yes - composting - reuse as much as poss - put rest out for collection




2. What do you recycle? (Tick All Applicable)

(Paper ) (Glass) (Cans)

Other (Please State)

compost materials

3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? (Tick All Applicable)

(Recycling Bin Collection) (Bottle Collection)



4. How often do these procedures take place?

(Once A Fortnight)

5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?

No

Explain?

needs to include plastic and cardboard - the nearest places to recycle them are ungettatable for me.


6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?
more facilities.





Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

Age (in years): 41


Sex:female

[naturelover]

hi and welcome to the site and merry christmas,i recycle every thing i can to help the envirement,tins,boxes,cardboard,plastic containers,plastic bottles,peelings,garden waste, no left over food as it goes to the birds, ,hope this helps.

[naturelover]

sorry i didnt finish it,i am female age 61 years,i live in the fens,our bins are collected once every two weeks,yes i am happy with how the bins are sorted,in this area they collect garden and veg waste and any thing that rots,the other bin has tin cans,cardboard boxes plastic bottles / containers,and of course the household bin for the sacks.

[Big fat slug]

Hi Martin

1. Do you recycle in any way? (Please State)

Yes - I've been actively recycling for over 25 years.

2. What do you recycle? (Tick All Applicable)

(Paper / Cardboard) (Plastic) (Glass) (Cans) - all of these
plus rags/worn out clothing, Tetrabricks, foil, aluminium, batteries

Other (Please State)
see above

3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? (Tick All Applicable)

(Recycling Bin Collection) (Bottle Collection) (Furniture Collection) (None)

We have two bins - one for domestic waste and one specifically for recycling (plastics, paper, cardboard, tin foil)
Other (Please State)

There is a recycling site five minutes walk away which makes life easier but heavy items have to be disposed of by paying someone to collect them - as does garden waste.


4. How often do these procedures take place?

(Weekly) (Once A Fortnight) (Monthly) (Longer)

Each bin is collected fortnightly


5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?

No

Explain?

I don't drive and it is difficult to recycle heavy items. I feel that glass should be collected as it is not easy for elderly people who live in the area - or anywhere - to recycle glass. Similarly, I live in one of the few areas in town that doesn't offer a brown bin for recycling garden waste.

6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?

Absolutely - wheelie bins encourage waste by virtue of their size (I have the smaller ones and also own a compost bin). I like the idea of communal bins or a skip (to prevent fly-tipping) although I've seen communal bins full to overflowing. Obviously, people need to be more educated but some of the current measures (e.g. getting fined if a bin is left slightly open or put out at the wrong time) are ridiculous. Local councils need to make it easier for people to recycle and not assume that everyone has a care.

Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

Age (in years): 50+


Sex: Female

[Mercadante]

1. Do you recycle in any way? Yes.
2. What do you recycle? Everything that the local recycling collectors will take I put out, including cans, batteries, cardboard, glass bottles. I compost food waste and I take plastic bottles and metal objects to be recycled. I don't know a local place that takes broken glass, though.
3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? Recycling bin collection.
4. How often do these procedures take place? Weekly in Bristol, fortnightly in Cornwall.
5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area? No: the system in Restormel borough (Cornwall) makes us wrap everything in plastic bags! Bristol's system is better, but doesn't collect plastic, unfortunately. They also make a lot of fuss if bins are left out at the wrong time, which is difficult when you're going to be away, and hypocritical when the collectors leave them over the pavement any old how.
6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?
All the plastic wrappings we can't recycle should be dumped in supermarket carparks. Then maybe they'd stop putting them on everything in the first place!
Age 45, female.

[TheCrystalFairy]

1. Do you recycle in any way? (Please State)
Yes

2. What do you recycle? (Tick All Applicable)

Paper / Cardboard
Plastic
Glass
Cans

Other (Please State)
Garden waste
Kitchen waste to compost
Batteries

3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? (Tick All Applicable)
Recycling Bin Collection (from home)
Bottle Collection - from local bottle bank - which is always full so the area is covered with broken glass from where people leave the bottles outside the bottle banks
Furniture Collection - can be arranged with the local Council
Garden Waste - we are expecting our garden waste bin to be delivered in the next 5 weeks, apparently
Local Tip - Clothes, batteries, electrical equipment etc

4. How often do these procedures take place?

Recycling Bin at home is collected once ever four weeks
The garden waste bin (once delivered) will be collected every two weeks
The local bottle bank appears very ad-hoc - either that or it's very regular and everyone in the village is an alcoholic
Everything else is taken to the local tip

5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?
Sort of!Explain?

I would much prefer it if our recycling bin was emptied every two weeks. Now we are getting a garden waste bin which will be emptied every two weeks, it would make sense to alternate this with the recycling bin. As it is, we have to throw away loads of stuff which could go in the recycling bin as the collections aren't often enough. Either that or drive 6 miles to the local council tip, which is not exactly an environmentally thing to do unless we have loads of stuff - but we don't have the room to store loads of stuff, so it often has to go in the normal bin. We would not, however, be prepared to sacrifice weekly collections of our normal waste like many areas of the country have, as this is unhygienic and will lead to all manner of problems.

6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?
Would be helpful to be able to recycle glass from home, rather than taking to the bottle bank
Oh - and less packaging in the first place!

Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

Age (in years): 36
Sex: Female

[Bumblebeebob]

1. Do you recycle in any way? (Please State)

Yes, trips to the recycling centre & council collections.



2. What do you recycle? (Tick All Applicable)

Paper, Cardboard, Glass, Cans, Plastics

Other (Please State)
Garden Waste, Household Batteries, Oil


3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? (Tick All Applicable)

(Recycling Bin Collection) (Bottle Collection) (Furniture Collection) (None)

Recycling collection, Bottles, Furniture, Garden waste

Other (Please State)


4. How often do these procedures take place?

(Weekly) (Once A Fortnight) (Monthly) (Longer)

Once a Fortnight


5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?

Yes No
Yes

Explain?




6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?

There shouldn't be so much packaging waste in the first place






Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

Age (in years):

50


Sex:
Male

[ron1863]

1. Do you recycle in any way? (Please State)

Yes, trips to the local collection points and also the recycling centre




2. What do you recycle? (Tick All Applicable)

(Paper / Cardboard) (Plastic) (Glass) (Cans)

everything above


3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? (Tick All Applicable)

(Recycling Bin Collection) (Bottle Collection) (Furniture Collection) (None)

Other (Please State)

All of the above

4. How often do these procedures take place?

(Weekly) (Once A Fortnight) (Monthly) (Longer)

Fortnightly but via a phone call for furniture


5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?

Yes No

No - fortnightly is not enough. I feel that the council are reducing our service while raising the cost, we pay council tax for a service yet the council expect us to take our own rubbish away for nothing. Larger families suffer as they have more refuse.




6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?

More support and help from local authorities.




Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

Age (in years): 54


Sex: Yes, and I'm male

[Dalesman]

1. Do you recycle in any way? (Yes)




2. What do you recycle?

(Paper / Cardboard) (Plastic) (Glass) (Cans)

Other (Garden compost, Peelings, Tea bags, Egg shells, Ink cartridges, Batteries. )


3. What recycling procedures take place in your area?

(Compost Collection) (Bottle/Tin can Collection) (Paper)

I also recycle cardboard and plastic bottles at the nearest recyceling bank which is a 2 minute drive away.

4. How often do these procedures take place?

(Once A Fortnight)


5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?

Yes


6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?

We can only recycle plastic bottles. I think other items such as yoghert pots, butter tubs, etc should be included.


Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

Age (in years): 55


Sex: Yes; but not very often.

[JoulesH]

1. Do you recycle in any way? Y
(Please State)

As farmers we recycle nutrients (straw-muck-to land and wheat and grass grown-muck-to land)and reduce our fertiliser applications accordingly.We use well water to partially cool our milk in a plate cooler (thus saving electricity) before going onto be drunk by the cows from a trough (nice and warm for them in winter!).

On the farm we recycle plastic, paper, glass, metal (scrap),oil, batteries.
I reuse printed paper by printing on other side where I can. Waste fat from cooking goes into bird seed cakes along with sundry waste grain from the farm and bits of fruit. Some waste food, veg trimmings etc fed to my chickens. I ask my egg customers to return their egg boxes and use them as along as possible before putting in paper recycling.
Domestically I recycle kitchen waste, ash from the fire and some paper as compost. Most paper gets recycled along with metals, some plastics, glass, batteries, textiles, all on a fortnightly collection. Some textiles used for rags first, other good clothes and any unwanted gifts etc taken to charity shops. I do burn some confidential paper (if not shredded into compost). I recycle grey water where possible. There is a fortnightly green waste collection which I do not use as it is all composted or woody stuff just left to rot (big garden! or as firewood. Shoes / wellies taken to a recycling bin outside local dry cleaners. I hardly ever get carrier bags now but I reuse the ones I do (lining bins etc).If I forget to take my long-life bags to town I usually raid the supermarket 'recycle your bags here' point for a carrier.
I take other sorts of plastic, wood, any white goods, odd bits of metal (saucepans etc) to the council recycling depot. Print cartridges sent off for recycling.



2. What do you recycle? (Tick All Applicable)

(Paper / Cardboard) (Plastic) (Glass) (Cans)

Other (Please State)
See above!


3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? (Tick All Applicable)
Door to door household - noted above. Commercial (farmplastics etc) on request and when we have the money to pay them!
For stuff recycled see above
4. How often do these procedures take place?

(Once A Fortnight)

5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?

Yes
Explain? Most of the above recycling has been in place for several years and they keep adding bits eg the batteries was introduced this year; main gripe is more plastic to be recycled but we can already put drinks plastic bottles in the recycling bins and take yoghurt/marge pots etc to the council depot.



6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?

More emphasis on reduce -reuse before you get to recycle. Some of my egs above are actually re-use rather than recycle but re-use is usually even better.




Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

Age (in years): 41


Sex:F
mixed farmer,no kids

[Kymba]

1. Do you recycle in any way?
Yes.. I recycle everything i can..

2. What do you recycle? (Tick All Applicable)

(Paper )... Yes (Glass).... Yes (Cans)... Yes

Other..... If binmen cant take it I take it to use at school (fruit/ meat/ veg dishes) anything we could possibly use for other things.

compost materials
Started a composting scheme at school i work at. Take stuff from home in.
Setting up home composter.


3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? (Tick All Applicable)

(Recycling Bin Collection).. Yes (Bottle Collection).. No
(Furniture Collection).. yes if you pay
Other ...Garden waste


4. How often do these procedures take place?

(Once A Fortnight) Recycling and Garden waste alternate weeks


5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?

No

Explain? No Glass collection... nearest bottle bank is 10 minute drive away.. but hard to get to without a car.




6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?

Larger recycling containers we only have a Small Blue Box and Blue plastic bags But no where to store it for two weeks.. better equipt recycling centres that can take verything that can be reused or recycled
More accessible Bottle banks.. and other recycling containers (clothes etc)



Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

Age ....49


Sex: ... female

[kielder]

1. Do you recycle in any way? (Please State)

Yes, we have a recycling bin that the binmen pick up, we recycle glass also.


2. What do you recycle? (Tick All Applicable)

(Paper / Cardboard) (Plastic) (Glass) (Cans) ALL


3. What recycling procedures take place in your area? (Tick All Applicable)

Recycling Bin Collection: YES


4. How often do these procedures take place?

Once A Fortnight: YES


5. Are you happy with the recycling procedures that are in place in your area?

Yes No

Explain?

Yes and no!, there are a lot of things that on the packet say recyclable, but cannot be done locally.



6. Is there anything that you feel needs to be improved upon to aid the way we recycle?


Finally could you give a few bits of information about yourself so that we can put your other replies in greater context?

Age (in years): 22


Sex:Female

[Paul mabbott]

This questionnaire was posted by martin1986 in connection for a project that he was working on which, I suspect, will have been completed by now so all these responses are not serving much purpose unless there's some way we can compile them into a WAB file or at least get some feedback - maybe Martin could give us some feedback on his results?

One thing that strikes me, looking at all these entries is that it's a bit of lottery what you can, are able to recycle or do in other useful ways. I think we would need to know which local authorities are good at recycling and which don't give a ....

[Mercadante]

Oh wow, that will teach me to check the date of survey requests

[snowdrop]

Over the Years I think I've recycled anything and everything, its nothing new, when you are poor it is a necessity. I've learned not to throw things away even rags, they make great shopping bags and if the material is a gaudy colour I make them into beach bags. They look great when you add other coloured pieces of cloth or adornments you've squirreled away.
Old deflated tyres with a metal rim make fancy garden tubs when the rubber is sliced on the outer side and peeled back, a spot of paint and they look great.