Building a waste-wise society: Effective ways to communicate waste prevention to the public

• Waste prevention and management approaches towards the top of the waste hierarchy are often misunderstood by the general public and businesses, with many believing that recycling is the best and only option for minimising waste.

   

  However, the rising realisation that addressing consumption and minimising waste that ultimately needs to be managed (think reuse, repair, upcycling, and sustainable consumption) through downstream solutions can, in fact, deliver significant benefits in decarbonisation, social value and reduced costs. There is now a real appetite from waste producers, consumers, and those who manage waste materials to better plan for solutions that involve more behavioural and attitudinal change from the outset.

   

  What do the public think, and what can we do to enable better decisions by people at home and at work that might result in reducing waste from being generated?

   

  Is now the right time to drive materials handling up the waste hierarchy, away from disposal and recycling, and get society, the sector and policymakers better aligned?

   

  In this webinar, we will hear from a panel of experts reflecting on a recent Keep Britain Tidy research project examining public attitudes and understanding of waste prevention, reuse, and recycling. We will also discuss what this might suggest regarding future local authority community engagement and business-specific messaging around new services and solutions.

• Speakers

  Chaired by Dr Adam Read, Chief Sustainability and External Affairs Officer, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK, with:

  • Dr Anna Scott, Director of Services, Keep Britain Tidy
  • Jen Gale, Founder, Sustainable(ish)
  • Sarah Ottaway, Sustainability and Social Value Lead, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK
• Watch the recording