Sidique, Shaufique F., Satish V. Joshi, and Frank Lupi. 2010. “Factors Influencing the Rate of Recycling: An Analysis of Minnesota Counties.” Resources, Conservation & Recycling 54 (4) (February): 242-249. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2009.08.006.
Curiously, one of the few studies to examine serious demographic data is a study of Minnesota counties. The data was drawn from two sources. The recycling data was drawn from records of the Minnesota SCORE annual surveys. These surveys have been conducted since 1991. This may be one of the most comprehensive and longest running statewide recycling surveys in the country. The socio-economic data was drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Their conclusion was that in Minnesota recycling rates overall were higher when used together and relatively insignificant when used separately. Education also increased recycling rates.
One of several possible scenarios might be to test their conclusion that older participants tended to recycle more. It will be interesting to see if this holds true in a town outside the major metropolitan area.
Another interesting aspect is this study doesn’t have a breakdown by county. Even then, the results were unexpected. Where age and education had an expected positive influence on the recycling rate, increased income had less of a negative influence than anticipated. Past data suggested that increased income meant increased consumption which would typically result in more waste. I would think that increased education would result in increased income which, in this line of thought, would mean that increased education would result in increased waste. This doesn’t make sense to me.
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