Guernsey survey finds 92% of households recycle

A survey has found 92% of households in Guernsey recycle and nearly half of them compost at home.

The survey, commissioned by Public Services, polled 500 island households using an online questionnaire and on-street interviews.

Public Services Deputy Minister Scott Ogier said the survey had provided a wealth of information.

He said it would be used by the department in planning and to "better target future initiatives".

'Lack of space'

Deputy Ogier said: "We have seen an enormous increase in recycling, and as a result the amount of waste going to landfill has fallen significantly."

Among the common household items that can be recycled locally but are most often neglected were low energy light bulbs (87%), aerosols (72%), batteries (59%), and polystyrene packaging (52%).

In terms of age groups, over-65s were the most likely to recycle, with nearly 98% of those surveyed saying they were regular visitors to the bring bank sites. This compared to just 82% of 18 to 25-year-olds.

The main reason given by both recyclers (25%) and non-recyclers (48%) preventing them from recycling more, or at all, was a lack of space at home.