Behavioural Insights A Human-Centered Approach to Better Understanding Behaviours of Peel Residents

Background Participation is driven by 3 factors: CONVENIENCE e.g. cart-based collection EDUCATION e.g. advertising, school workshops ENFORCEMENT e.g. by-law officer home visits The success of Peel’s waste diversion programs is dependent on resident participation

Recap 6-step approach for applying behaviour insights 1 2 3 6 5 4 Define Outcome Diagnose Behavioural Barriers Identify Interventions Design Interventions Test Interventions Analyze Results & Scale Up 1 2 3 6 5 4

Putting research into practice Define Outcome Diagnose Behavioural Barriers Identify Interventions Design Interventions Test Interventions Analyze Results & Scale Up 1 2 3 6 5 4 Develop and test solutions that address barriers Get actionable evidence about what works Building on the behavioural research… develop and rigorously test solutions that address key barriers that residents experience These solutions will be developed based on behavioural insights and tested using rigorous methods for evaluating the effectiveness  Goal is to have high-quality, actionable evidence about what works when it comes to promoting residential recycling. Scale up…

4 Behavioural Barriers Residents don’t know which bin items go in The “yuck” factor discourages proper disposal and storage Residents don’t make the link to the broader public benefit Design and space issues inhibit recycling 4 behavioural barriers from the field research Focus on 2 that can be addressed through communication and education

Step 3: Identify Interventions Choose 1 to test 4 57 80 80 ideas from internal sessions Assessed feasibility and impact Narrowed to 4 options Prioritized ideas and filtered to narrow the options Filter for duplicates – basic analysis KEY was Prioritizing for feasibility (operations and ca it scale up) and impact (from behavioural science perspective

Step 3: Identify Interventions Emotional appeal Narrowed to 2 of 4 options. Practical approach

Step 4: Design Interventions Folded Postcard Aprox 20,000 Residents will receive this folded mailer as part of a random control trial

Step 4: Design Interventions Removable sticker The measurement for the test was done through route specific pre and post in-bound waste audits, which will help answer 2 key questions: 1 Would a message, highlighting the effort of actual workers involved in process, make people recycle correctly? 2 Would providing residents with stickers or reminders to place in their home, help reduce contamination?

Step 5: Test Interventions Randomly select 12 routes 1. Pre-test audit on all 12 routes 2. Mail postcards to 6 routes 3. Post-test audit on all 12 routes

Step 5: Test Interventions Practical Operations Evaluation& Data Science Examples: Routes not uniform Existing pilot areas Audit capacity Examples: Large sample size Maximize Randomness More audits

Step 6: Analyse Results and Scale Up Now in progress

Testing Common Waste Terms and Images Used with our Residents Do Words Really Matter? Testing Common Waste Terms and Images Used with our Residents

Background Starting Point: Are we communicating as effectively as we can to help our residents participate correctly? Find out through research: Behavioural Insights Waste Terminology Testing Concept Testing Pilot Testing (Campaigns & Interventions) The success of Peel’s waste diversion programs is dependent on resident participation

Research Objectives Find out: how do residents interpret waste terminology we currently use? what terms should we use going forward? any insights to help inform key messaging for future campaigns, materials and web content.

Scope of Work Focus Groups Online Survey Used IPSOS-REID as the research vendor. Started the research first with focus group sessions: 5 Groups – 10-12 Participants each Mississauga and Brampton (curbside and MR grouped separately), Caledon combined. Recruited only residents who have primary or shared responsibility of managing waste in their home. Reflect a mix of Peel demographics and other criteria (Own/Rent, Urban/Rural, Male/Female, Income level (low, mid, high), Language, Immigrant/ Newcomer to Peel) We then followed up with an online survey to: gain representative sample (300-500 residents) quantify results and see if focus groups results align with online survey results Further test images and words that did not generate consistency or consensus

Focus Groups – Setting the Context perceptions of waste services? awareness of specific waste programs? recall of any waste-related material, public messaging?

Focus Groups – Words and Images 27 words tested 30 images tested Examples: Contamination Textiles Community Recycling Centre Waste diversion Organics Examples:

Results – Overall Context Multi-Residential Households have poor perceptions of waste services and the behaviour of other residents High awareness of Community Recycling Centres and private companies/charities who accept waste or donations Varied preferences for communication channels

Results – Word Testing Contamination Waste Diversion Double Bag Most words and terms were familiar to participants except for: Contamination Waste Diversion Double Bag Bag-based collection By law (violations) Material Recovery Facility Most responses reaching consensus except for

Results – Image Testing Cart vs Bin – “Bin” was clear winner Most images generated a term/word the Region already uses Some images did not generate consistency or consensus on terms: Top takeaways:

Focus Groups – What worked well Flexibility to make adjustments on-the-fly Ensuring participants wrote their answers/opinions before group discussion. Avoids group-think, influencing Physical notes were useful for researchers

Focus Groups – Challenges Recruiting of those living in apartment/condo Few residents living in basement apartments (who receive curbside collection) Volume of images / words tested Participant fatigue Limited time (Adjusted our online survey based on this experience)

Online Survey As mentioned earlier, after we completed our focus groups, we then followed up with an online survey – mainly to: gain representative sample (300-500 residents) quantify focus group results and see if online survey results align Further test images and words that did not generate consistency or consensus

Online Survey - Format A sample of 400 Peel residents aged 18+ Sampled via the Ipsos I-Say panel and non-panel sources.

Online Survey – Key Insights habits Peel residents are doing more to recycle than to compost. 82% say they always recycle an item if they believe it is appropriate to do so, while only 56% will do the same with compostable organics.

Online Survey – Key Insights likely recyclers Those making 3Rs efforts (reduce, reuse, recycle…and compost) are doing so in multiple ways. Peel residents who are actively making an effort towards the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle…and compost) are committing to various sustainability avenues. Those who are doing all/most of what they can to recycle are also doing the same for reducing their waste, reusing, and composting. Further, these residents also show to have higher awareness of our waste program.

Online Survey – Key Insights room to improve Many Peel residents admit they could do more towards 3Rs. While most Peel residents say they are doing all they can do towards the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle…and compost), this still leaves a large proportion who admit they could be doing more. In fact, 49% say they could be doing more to compost, including two in ten (18%) who are currently doing very little or nothing.

Online Survey – Key Insights terminology Familiarity with terms varies. More familiar with: contamination (in recycling), double-bag, by-law (violations), and Community Recycling Centers Less familiar with: waste diversion, and Material Recovery Facility While most Peel residents say they are doing all they can do towards the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle…and compost), this still leaves a large proportion who admit they could be doing more. In fact, 49% say they could be doing more to compost, including two in ten (18%) who are currently doing very little or nothing.

Online Survey – Key Insights community programs Awareness of Community Recycling Centres is highest. The majority of Peel residents are aware of Community Recycling Centers (78%) and bulky item curbside collection (74%). Comparatively fewer are aware of battery curbside collection (54%) and clothing/textile drop-off sheds (53%).

Digital Marketing Specialist Marketing & Communications Dennis King Digital Marketing Specialist Marketing & Communications dennis.king@peelregion.ca 416-319-8781   Bernadette Celis-Clarke Advisor, Promotion, Education & Outreach Waste Management, Waste Planning bernadette.celisclarke@peelregion.ca 905-791-7800, Ext. 7431     Questions?