A trial involving Scottish-based students has revealed a surge in recycling following the introduction of a small financial incentive.
Students from across the Motherwell, Coatbridge and Cumbernauld campuses at New College Lanarkshire recycled more than 20,000 cans and plastic bottles, following the introduction of a 20p incentive for using Reverse Vending Machines (RVM).
The trial – a partnership between environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, New College Lanarkshire, and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) – saw the RVMs used 80 more than when compared to the same period last year.
In total, 11,293 cans and 8,884 plastic bottles were recycled, compared to just 255 bottles and cans in the same period last year. However, once the incentive ended, usage dropped sharply, with just 346 containers recycled the following week – a staggering 91% decrease on the trial’s weekly average.
The five-week trial led to an 80% redemption of the 20p vouchers students received for recycling their containers.
The initiative builds on learnings from a previous campaign between the charity, CCEP and the University of Strathclyde, which tested various interventions and messaging to encourage students to recycle and think about their waste disposal choices, as well as their motivations for recycling.
The University of Strathclyde campaign found that 50% of students felt an incentive would encourage them to recycle more – a finding clearly reflected in the results from New College Lanarkshire.
Barry Fisher, chief executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said, “As expected a small incentive drove a huge increase in the use of these Reverse Vending Machines during this trial period. Thanks to our consistent messaging across the college campuses the students were well informed of the machines and the incentive, and with two years until we see a UK-wide Deposit Return Scheme it’s vital that the public are aware of its introduction to ensure it is a success from the start.”
Jo Padwick, senior sustainability manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, added, “It’s hugely encouraging to see such positive results from our trial. The findings clearly show that even a small incentive can be a powerful motivator to recycle and engage with a Deposit Return Scheme. These studies are allowing us to see first-hand how people interact with a DRS in reality and build a picture of what recycling behaviour will look like ahead of its eventual rollout across the UK in 2027.”
New College Lanarkshire principal and chief executive Professor Christopher Moore commented, “We were delighted to be a partner on this important project. The success of this trial reveals just what can be accomplished when the incentives are right. When young people are given the right support they can make huge and positive changes to their environment.”
A full report summarising the campaign can be found here.
