No dedicated recycling facility for 70% of workplaces

Franke's Snapshot Survey reveals there is work still to do with recycling plastics

17 Aug, 18

Franke‘s Snapshot Survey across the kitchen and bathroom industry reveals commitment to reducing plastic waste, but that behavioural change is a much longer burn.

Coinciding with the worldwide ‘Plastic Free July’ campaign, Franke sent its Snapshot Survey across the industry to gauge attitudes towards usage of single-use plastic bottles and their disposal.

Franke wants kbb professionals' view on plastic

According to the survey, which formed part of Franke’s Refill not Landfill initiative, almost 70% of workplaces do not currently offer a dedicated recycling facility.

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Furthermore, 30% of respondents reported taking their plastic waste home to recycle, while 34% throw their plastic bottles in the general office waste.

Although the survey revealed that 76% of respondents own a reusable water bottle, 33% admit that they “don’t really use it much.” And 51% of all respondents still buy at least one single-use plastic bottle a week, with 11% buying eight or more.

The main reason for people not using a reusable water bottle is behavioural, with 68% saying that they either “have not got into the habit,” or “would forget to take it out with them.” Very few, just 2%, are put off by the cost of buying one.

Despite all respondents either owning a reusable water bottle or buying bottled water, 80% stated drinking less than the recommended seven to eight glasses per day, with 30% only drinking one or two.

84% of workplaces do not currently offer a water refill station for the general public, but 56% of respondents said they would consider offering this facility “as a way to reduce plastic waste.”

No dedicated recycling facility for 70% of workplaces

Pictured: Neil Clark, managing director of Franke UK

 

Neil Clark, managing director at Franke UK, commented: “Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our survey. The results are encouraging in terms of the number of respondents committed to reusable water bottles and recycling but indicate that there is much scope for positive long-term behavioural change.

“As we have seen with the dramatic reduction in the use of supermarket plastic bags, small changes in behaviour patterns do add up to a big impact, and we believe the same can be true for single-use plastic bottles.

“We hope our survey added to this topical debate, while also encouraging people to think about simple steps they can take to reduce plastic waste in their everyday lives.

“For example, each respondent buying at least eight single-use plastic bottles a week will use 4,160 over ten years, all of which could be eliminated by switching to a refillable water flask instead.”

We reported on the announcement of this survey earlier this summer.