Participation in recycling varies across age groups, where it seems that younger generations state that they often try to do it as much as possible, but is in fact the older generations that state that they always recycle. Knowledge about the products that can actually be recycled also seems to vary across generations, with the Millennials being most hopeful in terms of assuming which types of products can actually be recycled. Single-stream recycling (one bin) is one of the most common systems in the world and is convenient and cost effective; however, this has led to much higher contamination rates. Contamination in recycling can come from food residue, stray plastic from straws, plastic bags, glass shards, and non-recyclable items.
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Statista Survey. (April 1, 2017). Share of consumers who participate in recycling in the United States 2017, by age group* [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 25, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/695457/americans-participating-in-recycling-in-the-united-states-by-age/
Statista Survey. "Share of consumers who participate in recycling in the United States 2017, by age group* ." Chart. April 1, 2017. Statista. Accessed May 25, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/695457/americans-participating-in-recycling-in-the-united-states-by-age/
Statista Survey. (2017). Share of consumers who participate in recycling in the United States 2017, by age group* . Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 25, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/695457/americans-participating-in-recycling-in-the-united-states-by-age/
Statista Survey. "Share of Consumers Who Participate in Recycling in The United States 2017, by Age Group* ." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 Apr 2017, https://www.statista.com/statistics/695457/americans-participating-in-recycling-in-the-united-states-by-age/
Statista Survey, Share of consumers who participate in recycling in the United States 2017, by age group* Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/695457/americans-participating-in-recycling-in-the-united-states-by-age/ (last visited May 25, 2022)