The UK's Green Revolution

The UK is undergoing an environmental revolution with millions of people strongly backing waste recycling as a basis for adopting more sustainable lifestyles, according to a new research report from Hyder Consulting, the leading environmental, planning, engineering and management consultancy.

The report finds that almost two thirds of UK citizens (63%) are now recycling their domestic waste and just 5% of people say they do not recycle any household waste items. And a staggering 21% of those questioned, equivalent to around 12.5 million people1, said they would be willing to pay more in council tax in return for their local authority providing full recycling and energy efficiency services.

Across the country as a whole, UK adults would be prepared to pay an average of £1.52 a month for better recycling services, equivalent to a £461 million2 a year boost to local authority coffers. Furthermore, 21% of those questioned said they would be willing to pay £5 a month or more and 8% said they would be willing to pay £10 a month or more for better recycling services.

However, UK adults are also calling for local authorities to penalise those not recycling by making them pay higher council taxes, with 47% of people backing this move. More than three quarters of those questioned (76%) also called for council tax discounts for those who meet personal recycling targets and just 1% said they had no interest in recycling more of their household waste.

More than half of those questioned (59%) stated they would like more recycling boxes provided by local authorities and 48% called for an increase in the numbers of local recycling collection points. And almost a third (31%) said they would like more leaflets and literature from local authorities advising them on ways to minimise household waste.

“This report highlights that the UK is the throws of a domestic waste recycling revolution with many households adopting waste recycling in a bid to live more environmentally sustainable lifestyles,” states Chris Evans, Head of Environmental Services at Hyder Consulting.

“Given the inexorable rise in council tax rises in many areas of the UK, it is surprising that so many people are willing to pay more to receive a more comprehensive waste collection and recycling service from local authorities, and this underlines the importance placed on this issue by consumers.

”Most local authorities now provide door-step recycling schemes but many could look to expand these services, recycling garden waste, clothing and even domestic cooking oil for households. Furthermore, there is clearly an appetite for more guidance on reducing resource consumption and this is another area where local authorities can and should get involved.”

The report also found that 77% of UK adults have fitted energy savings light bulbs in their homes, with 54% reducing their use of domestic water supplies and 47% improving insulation in their homes

However more can still be done, with just 28% of those questioned saying they source environmentally friendly products wherever possible and only 27% having increased their use of public transport.

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