Survey: ´Green guilt´ is on the rise

April 19 -- A new survey commissioned by Call2Recycle shows that 29% of respondents suffer from "green guilt" -- knowing they could and should do more to help preserve the environment, the company said.

That´s more than double the percentage of folks who felt guilt in 2009, according to the Call2Recycle survey that periodically tracks attitudes and behaviors.

The survey also revealed that 57% said they have old electronics that need to be discarded. That includes 46 percent who said they have cell phones, 33% with computers and 25% with televisions.

"The 2012 survey shows that Americans increasingly feel an obligation to recycle, and that they share responsibility with manufacturers and others to reduce the environmental impact of many products," said Carl Smith, CEO of Call2Recycle, in a statement.

The survey also reports that 52% of the respondents believe manufacturers should pay for the recycling of their products after consumer use. But only 38% said they willing to pay more for a product if the manufacturer handled proper disposal.

Call2Recycle calls itself the only free rechargeable battery and cell phone collection program in North America. The program has collected 70 million pounds of rechargeable batteries since 1996.

The online survey was conducted by Toluna PLC and included 1,041 adults, Call2Recycle said.

Contact Waste & Recycling News senior reporter Jim Johnson at jpjohnson@crain.com or 937-964-1289.

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