Project Integra, Hampshire's integrated waste management project in partnership with Hampshire Waste Services and Aylesford Newsprint, set out to raise awareness amongst residents and target commuters in the north of the county which had been identified as being an area where there was particular low awareness of magazine recycling.
The awareness-raising campaign included advertising in bus shelters and at railway stations and saw features in newspapers and on the radio. Two districts in the north of Hampshire also had bin stickers which included the campaign strap lines “When you’ve read it, recycle it” and “It’s not rubbish, recycle it!”
Results from a market research survey, carried out on 500 residents in Fleet, Farnborough, Aldershot, Basingstoke and Bishops Waltham showed that 43% of people questioned had heard of the campaign and half of them said that they thought it was effective. Nearly a quarter (24%)said they had increased the number of newspapers and magazines they recycled as a result of the campaign.
Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) tonnage figures support this increase and in the north of the county where the campaign was most concentrated residents are recycling 12% more.
Sandra Warnock-Horn, communications manager for Aylesford Newsprint, which supported and sponsored the campaign said: “The campaign has been based on excellent research, with very encouraging results. There has been a marked improvement in the quality of the paper recycled by the residents in Hampshire targeted in this campaign.”
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