Rotterdam, April 16, 2025 — During Circular Economy Week, we—together with a group of students—literally got to work on waste sorting. We investigated which factors—such as collection methods—influence Gen Z’s waste sorting behavior.
The participants were given a bag of waste and tested three different setups. As they made their choices, we observed their behavior: where was waste separation easy? What role did the type of waste bin play?
Waste sorting? Gen Z does it… if it’s easy
The study—which you can download below—revealed a number of interesting insights. We’ll highlight a few of them here.
It turns out that Gen Z is willing to sort waste, provided it’s simple. Complex terms like “PMD” and “GFT” cause confusion and create uncertainty when disposing of waste. “If I’m not sure, I’ll just throw it in the general waste,” we often heard from participants.
Notably, although only 20% of young people describe themselves as conscious and proactive when it comes to waste sorting, nearly everyone made a serious effort to sort their waste correctly. This shows that proper waste sorting behavior can be encouraged.
How?
You can read about it in the report—including practical tips to make waste separation easier. This is how you can immediately improve waste separation at your school, healthcare facility, or government agency.
Want to improve waste separation at your location?
Download the report and get started right away.
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