Effect of Design Variables On Participation in Residential Curbside Recycling Programs

Abstract

This research examines how each of the design variables associated with the design of residential curbside recycling programs affects the participation rate, as well as the effect of interactions between the variables. The evaluation of each design variable includes a literature review and an analysis of the results of six published surveys of curbside recycling programs. The results of this research show that there is no single ideal design for residential curbside recycling programs, but that a variety of combinations of design variables have proven to be successful. This suggests that when designing a recycling program, the costs, needs and goals of the community should be significant factors while taking into consideration the effect of some design variable options on participation. Based on these results, four residential curbside recycling programs were designed: two to maximize participation rates without significant regard to cost; and the other two with the goal of achieving a balance between participation rate and program cost. © 1997 ISWA