Title: The preferred bin colour for recycling plastic bottles: evidence from a student's sample

Authors: Ioanna K. Kalatzi; Anastasios E. Nikellis; Angeliki N. Menegaki; Konstantinos P. Tsagarakis

Addresses: Business and Environmental Economics Technology Laboratory (BETECO), Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi 67100, Greece ' IT Group, Primary School of Polichnitos, Lesvos 81300, Greece ' School of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University, 26335, Patra, Greece ' Business and Environmental Economics Technology Laboratory (BETECO), Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi 67100, Greece

Abstract: This is a web survey on the preferred colours for recycling bins. The aim of this study is to find out which bin colour attracts students more by presenting the highest probability of inducing someone to recycle. For this purpose, the study measures preferences of students (from the different engineering departments of Democritus University of Thrace, Greece) for colours of recycling bins among which they have to choose to recycle a used plastic bottle for water. Results reveal that the yellow coloured bin was the most preferred to recycle the plastic bottle, but also that half of the respondents chose the closest bins from the starting point of the application, thus providing evidence for distance effects. Results are useful for authorities that need to instil and induce recycling sustainable behaviours to citizens. Choosing a bin colour or a bin space positioning or both these factors in a manner that increases recycling behaviours is of interest to policy makers.

Keywords: industrial design; interactive marketing; web survey; preferred colours; bin colour; plastics recycling; plastic bottles; Greece; university students; distance effects; bin positioning; recycling behaviours; recycling bins; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/PIE.2015.073429

Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 2015 Vol.9 No.3, pp.256 - 268

Received: 24 Jan 2015
Accepted: 06 Jul 2015
Published online: 02 Dec 2015 *

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