Just rewards
Zero Waste Scotland recently launched nine pilot projects that reward consumers for recycling their used drink containers. Iain Gulland tells Resource what he hopes the trials will achieve
Earlier this year, Zero Waste Scotland launched innovative ‘Recycle and Reward’ pilot projects, with the aim of assessing the impact of offering an incentive for recycling. It’s important to say here that what we’re trying to do is understand how such incentive-based schemes might be received. Behind any potential new intervention there should be an evidence base to consider. IKEA, Dundee University, and Whitmuir Organics are among the organisations that are trialling rewarding consumers for recycling their drinks containers through a range of incentives including money back, discount vouchers or charitable donations. The trials will run until the autumn and results will be used to inform the Scottish Government on the possible impacts of introducing such schemes nationally.