Residential Recycling Work Group Meeting Report RFP 17-116 November 15, 2017

The Residential Recycling Work Group met at City Hall on Wednesday, November 15, 2017 from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM. The meeting was attended by 7 individuals representing special interest and residential groups, including a recycling processor and waste/recycling haulers. Also in attendance were representatives from Public Works & Utilities (1) and Carson+Co Global (1). A brief overview of the Comprehensive Recycling Education program was provided, followed by discussion of the campaign’s residential strategies. All attendee suggestions were recorded and are reflected below along with the Powerpoint presentation.

General Commentary and Suggestions

● Single container encourages people to throw anything and everything in it. ● Survey should of included question on willingness to pay for recycling ● Have standard colored recycling bins and signage for public containers. ● To help overcome barriers - recycling creates jobs ● Waste Haulers have the 5th most dangerous job. ● Utilize the Mayor’s roundtable to distribute materials/info ● Have box crushers at drop-off sites

Billboards

● Smaller size that can travel to events, grocery stores, prepare standard sign that can be place at events that explain what is recyclable and non-recyclable

Print Ads

● Strong suggestion to pursue online ads in addition to print. Discussion ensued about what targets are hit by online nad printed newspaper ads.

This report was made possible by a grant from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. It was published by the City of Lincoln and prepared by Carson+Co Global and Verdis Group.

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Residential Recycling Work Group Meeting Report RFP 17-116 November 15, 2017

● NET suggested ● Suggestion that Lance’s Journal on 10/11 does longer, feel good pieces. Might be a

good place for educational content and reach. ● Opportunities to take advantage of Statewide groups like NET to do half hour show on

what happens to recycling. Health of the City on LNKTV channel; KZUM Radio Ads

● KZUM has multilingual programming - Hispanic, Vietnamese and likely other languages as well.

Encourage Indoor Recycling Bin Stocking at Local Retail Stores

● Color of the bin out in public can be confusing. Consistency in color, or at least labeling, would be helpful.

● Signage at retails stores for recycling (plastic bag collection for example) is not very good.

● Suggested a fiberboard stand up banner for stores to make people ware of recycling bins.

Exterior Corrugated Cardboard Ban Toter Sticker

● Unacceptable load fee discussion ● When a hauler sees cardboard in trash, they may take it out (typical for Paragon

Sanitation), if they leave it, it can blow around. ● Resident puts cardboard box in trash don’t want to leave it outside the ctn because it

could cause litter. One option is to give a note that indicate they placed recyclable cardboard into the trash, took it today but there are other options available to recycle or reuse it. Could also put waste cart on top of cardboard box.

Develop resource-rich website

● Do we want to focus on recycling numbers (i.e Plastics 1-7)? ● There are children’s toys that have right number but wouldn’t accepted by recycling

processor ● Clickable flow chart (or recyclable materials) suggested. ● Strong suggestion by group to be picture-oriented when discussing recyclable materials. ● Discussion of how to handle styrofoam. Not cost effective in our City.

Develop Multilingual Educational Flyers

● ELL Schools: literacy schools with parents, staff may be able to provide/translate flyers to students.

● Pat-Anderson-Sifuentez suggested sharing multilingual flyers with ed groups, realtors and neighborhood associations. She seemed interested in helping with this.

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Residential Recycling Work Group Meeting Report RFP 17-116 November 15, 2017

Establish a Citizen SCience Program ● Citizen Action App through Mayor’s office ● “SeeClickFix” or “UpLink” Name may not be finalized.\

Pilot Business-sponsored Neighborhood Cardboard/Mixed Recycling Collection Containers

● Discussion of Neighborhood Associations vs. Homeowner Associations, the latter of which is becoming more popular and is required in new residential areas. Homeowner Associations are able to bid out waste and recycling services to one hauler. Zajicek won a bid for the West A Homeowners Association. Does Urban Development have a map of where Homeowners Associations are? Need to check with Urban Development.

● Can we pinpoint where things are collected so as to better locate where to place one of these?

● Pilot sponsor suggestions (from Pat Anderson-Sifuentez) suggested Russ’s at 17th and Washington with Near South and Everett neighborhoods.

Collaborate with Residential Recycling Work Group

● Engage the art community to make art out of cardboard Display in SO Do neighborhood ● Tamara Kaye - artReach - does art projects with public events and has a storefront at

Gateway. ● College of Architecture make furniture or other products from corrugated cardboard have

an interactive display. ● Could City provide “Boots on the ground” to go with curbside recycling to identify issues

they face to help develop educational materials. ● Allow “take a ride with the hauler day” for elected officials

In Person Presentations

● Prepare standard sign that can be place at events that explain what is recyclable and non-recyclable

● Work with LPS - most recycle some and kids are teaching parents ● Neighborworks is working on a basic welcome packet. They would be happy to add

recycling info. Neighborworks would also be happy to promote waste audits and can do a waste audit at their office (referring to citizen science program)

● Neighborworks is hosting a landlord meeting in December. Can we present? ● Neighborworks is hosting a Neighborhood forum in January 2018. Could we present

here also?

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ComprehensiveRecyclingEducationProgramResidentialRecyclingWorkGroup

Wednesday,November15,2017

Today’sAgenda

• Introductions• Overviews

• ComprehensiveRecyclingEducationProgram• Residentialbarrierandbenefitresearch

• Discussion:Residentialstrategiesandmaterialsindevelopment

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TargetAudiences

Residential• 280,000residents

• Non-recyclers• Elderly• Low-income• Multi-lingual• Recyclers

Commercial• 9,000businesses

• Multi-familyHousing• Multi-tenantCommercial• Retail,Restaurant,Bar,Hospitality

• Education/Institutional• Construction&Demolition

ResidentialandCommercialRecycling

Research

• Reviewexistingresearch&programs

• Residentialfocusgroups• Residentialsurveys/interviews

• Commercialonlinesurvey

Barriers&benefits

• Residential• Commercial

Programstrategies

• Education• Advising•Marketing&Advertising

Community-BasedSocialMarketing(CBSM)

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EducationCampaignTimelineOCT

NOV

DEC

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

ResidentialRecyclingBarrier/BenefitResearch

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Asian (A) Elderly (E) Residents (R) Non-curbside (N) 2018 Corrugated Cardboard Ban Awareness Unaware Aware Aware Aware Curbside service sign up Uncertain Mixed Aware Aware Key questions about corrugated cardboard ban

Where does cardboard go if not in trash? A, R, N Do I have to pay to recycle cardboard? A, N Where do I go to get curbside recycling services? A, E What is corrugated cardboard? E, N How will the ban be enforced? R, N Will hauler refuse trash if cardboard is in it? R, N What is the purpose of the ordinance? R, N How will multi-family units manage the ordinance? R How will pizza boxes be handled? R How will the public be educated about the ban? N How will college and university students be educated about recycling? R Why was corrugated cardboard targeted over other materials? N

RecyclingAwarenessandQuestions

RecyclingNorms

Asian Elderly Residents Non-curbside

Value: What is most important? Protecting the environment

Protecting the environment

Protecting the environment

Protecting the environment

Norm: Do you feel that recycling is important? Important Important Important Important

Behavior: Do you recycle at home? No Yes Yes Mixed

Behavior: Recycling method N/A Drop-off sites Drop-off/Curbside Drop-off sites

Social norm: Do people in your community recycle? No Yes No Mixed

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RecyclingKnowledgeItem Material Asian Elderly Residents Non-curbside Bagel bag Plastic film Mixed Mixed Correct Correct Business envelope Paper Incorrect Correct Correct Mixed Cardboard box Corrugated box Correct Correct Correct Mixed Food box Paperboard Correct Correct Correct Correct Glass jar Glass/metal Mixed Mixed Correct Correct Milk carton Wax plastic Incorrect Mixed Incorrect Mixed Newspaper Paper Correct Correct Correct Correct Pretzel bag Plastic film Mixed Correct Mixed Correct Shopping bag Plastic film Mixed Correct Correct Correct Soda can Aluminum Correct Correct Correct Correct Sports drink bottle Plastic Correct Correct Correct Correct Food container Styrofoam Correct Correct Correct Correct Yogurt container Plastic Mixed Correct Correct Mixed

Demographics

Lincoln/Lancaster Co. resident 100% (n = 75)

Sex Male Female

40% (n = 30) 60% (n = 45)

Residency

Owner Renter 67% (n = 50) 55% (n = 24)

House Apartment 74% (n = 55) 24% (n = 18)

Recycling

Curbside Drop-off 39% (n = 29) 23% (n = 17)

Apt/Dorm Non-recycler 9% (n = 7) 29% (n = 22)

Cardboard Ban Aware Unaware 56% (n = 42) 43% (n = 32)

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Protecttheenvironment&

nature,25

Extendlandfilllifespan,12

Intrinsicsatisfaction,

11

Ease,11Decreasetrashat

home,9

Decreasecarbonfootprint,4

Investmentinfuturegenerations,4

Rightthingtodo,3

Cleanercommunity,2

Financialgain,1

Other,14

PerceivedBenefitsofRecycling

AttitudesTowardsRecycling

0.95

0.85

0.93

0.96

0.07

0.07

0.96

0.95

0.95

0.96

0.04

0.08

0.05

0.03

0.89

0.84

0.03

0.04

0.03

0.01

0.01

0.07

0.04

0.09

0.01

0.01

0.03

0.03

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

10.Thebenefitsofrecyclingreturnbacktosociety.

9.Igetsatisfactionbytakingpartinrecycling.

8.Recyclingisworthmytimeandeffort.

7.Recyclingreducestheamountoflittergoinginto…

6.Recyclingismoretroublethanit’sworth.

5.Itisuselesstorecycleifnotmanyotherpeople…

4.Recyclinghelpsprotecttheenvironment.

3.Itismypersonalresponsibilitytohelprecycling…

2.Iamwillingtoparticipateinrecycling,evenif…

1.Recyclingisimportant.

Agree Disagree Unsure

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Prominent Barriers to Recycling CBSM Tools to Lower Barriers Cost of curbside recycling service subscription

Social Modeling, Education, Personal Communication

Inconvenience Social Diffusion, Social Modeling, Education Lacking space for bins Social Norm, Incentive, Contest Lacking knowledge of service providers and recycling

Social Norm, Incentive, Contest

Lacking access to services by hauler or landlord

Education, Incentive, Convenience

Not enough time to recycle Education Inability to transport recyclables to drop-off sites

Social Diffusion (Contest, Incentive)

Opposition to coercion of ordinance Personal Communication Generation of too few recyclables to warrant recycling

Education

Issues at drop-off sites (muddiness, full roll offs)

Social Modeling, City Investigate*

Lacking follow through despite interest in recycling

Social Norm

Confusion about which materials are recyclable (contamination)

Education

Physical difficulty of breaking down cardboard boxes

Social Modeling

Clutter of recycling bins Social Modeling, Education Messiness of recycling and having to rinse containers

Social Modeling, Education

Difficulty in accessing/signing up for curbside service

Convenience, Education

Double cost – pay for material, pay for its pick up

Social Norm

English as only language to communicate recycling

Convenience

Little to no financial incentive to recycle Social Modeling Not getting to see the results of personal efforts

Education

Prominent Benefits of Recycling CBSM Tools to Enhance Motivation Protect the environment and nature Social Norm Preservation of Earth’s / Nebraska’s pristine natural areas and cities

Social Norm, Cognitive Dissonance

Extend landfill life and divert waste Education Experience intrinsic satisfaction Social Norm, Social Modeling Easy to do Social Modeling, Education Decrease trash generation at home Education Decrease carbon footprint Social Modeling, Cognitive Dissonance Make an investment in children and future generations

Social Modeling

City-wideCommunications

Residential

CommercialBillboard(s)TVspotPrintadsSocialmediacampaignRadioad(s)Buswrap(s)RecycleLincolnAmbassadors

ResidentialRecyclingWorkGroupMulti-lingualweb&printresourcesPresentationstogroups&assoc.AfterschoolcitizenscienceprogramDisseminateRecycleRightmaterials

CommercialRecyclingWorkGroupAdvisoryservicesCollaborationwithBuilding&SafetyWebsitewithBestMgmt PracticesSelf-assessmentquestionnaireHow-tovideos&GreenTeamguidelinesBusinessRecognition&WRRAPProgram

GettingtheWordOut

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Billboards

City-wide

Education

SocialNorm

Incentive

TVSpot

CommercialSector-wide

SocialModeling

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PrintAds

CommercialSector-wide

Education

SocialNorm

Incentive

RadioAds

City-wide Multilingual

Education

SocialNorm

Incentive

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SocialMediaCampaign

City-wide

Education

SocialNorm

SocialModeling

Wouldyousharesocialmediacontent?Canyourecommendanychannelsweshouldsendto?

EncourageIndoorRecyclingBinStockingatLocalRetailStores

City-wide

CognitiveDissonance

Prompt

Convenience

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ExteriorCorrugatedCardboardBanToter Sticker

City-wide

SocialNorm

Prompt

DevelopResource-richWebsite

City-wide MultilingualTargetedAudiences

Education

SocialModeling

Convenience

Whatonlineresourceswouldbevaluabletoyou?Whatmightbevaluabletoothers?

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BusAdvertisements

City-wide

SocialNorm

SocialDiffusion

DevelopMultilingualEducationalFlyers

Multilingual

EducationWouldyouhaveopportunitiestoshare

multilingualflyers?

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DisseminateRecycleRightMaterialstoProcessorsandHaulers

PrivateHaulers Multilingual

Education

SocialModeling

Prompt

Wouldyouhaveopportunitiestoshareeducationalmaterials?

DisseminateRecycleRightMaterialstoRealEstateAgents

TargetedAudiences

Education

SocialNorm

Prompt

SocialDiffusion

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EstablishaCitizenScienceProgram

TargetedAudiences

Education

SocialDiffusion

Wouldyousubmitdata?Wouldyousharetheprojectwithothers?

PilotBusiness-sponsoredNeighborhoodCardboard/MixedRecyclingCollectionContainers

TargetedAudiences

Convenience

Wouldyourecommendaneighborhoodorbusinessthatmightbeinterestedin

participating?

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DeliverandCoordinateIn-personPresentations

TargetedAudiences

Education

Incentive

SocialModeling

Convenience

Atwhatorganizationswouldyourecommendwepresent?Wouldyouinviteusorconnectuswithmeetingorganizers?

Wouldyoubeinterestedinpresenting?

EmpowertheRecycleLincolnAmbassadors

TargetedAudiences

Education

SocialModeling

SocialDiffusion

Wouldyoureferinterestedindividualstousforthisgroup?

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CollaboratewithResidentialRecyclingWorkGroup

TargetedAudiences

SocialModeling

PersonalCommunication

Wouldyoubewillingtoshareeducationalmaterials?Howelsecanwesupportyou?

Whatopportunitiesareyouinvolvedinthatweshouldbeawareof?