The (Mis)Understanding of the Symbol Associated with Recycling on Plastic Containers in the US: A Brief Report

Carl A. Latkin (), Lauren Dayton, Grace Yi and Ariel Balaban
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Carl A. Latkin: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Lauren Dayton: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Grace Yi: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Ariel Balaban: Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-7

Abstract: Plastic containers are a major source of pollution and contribute to greenhouse gases. Many plastic containers are embossed with a small symbol of three arrows forming a triangle and a number in the middle of the triangle. As part of a US online study, we assessed the meaning of this symbol. Of the 808 respondents presented with a visual image of the three-arrow symbol, 81.3% reported (incorrectly) that the symbol indicated that the item could definitely be recycled and 16.3% reported that it could probably be recycled. The findings suggest that a large proportion of individuals have an inaccurate understanding of the symbol on plastics purported to indicate recycling. Plastic manufacturers should revise labels about recycling and not disseminate potentially deceptive information about the ability to recycle their products, and more effective methods such as extended producer responsibility legislation are needed to reduce plastic pollution.

Keywords: recycling; plastics; recycling images; plastic pollution; automatic processing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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