Piloting a methodology to understand waste reduction behaviour in Charnwood

Waste disposal in the UK is reaching a critical point. Aside from the EU Directive 1999/31/EF requiring a heavy reduction in waste sent to landfill (Jamasb & Nepal, 2010, p.1341), there is a decreasing number of options for landfill sites. New solutions for managing waste will have to be adopted to avoid a situation of needing to export waste for disposal in other countries (Arratia, 2010). In 2004 household waste accounted for around 9% of the total waste produced in the UK (Wastewatch, 2008, p.2), so whilst construction and quarrying still account for the majority of waste creation in the UK, there is a sizeable impact to be made from reducing household waste. Due to a focus in government policy, the volume of household waste has seen a steady decline in the last five years to just over 23 million tonnes, and an increase in the percentage of this that is recycled to 40.1 per cent (DEFRA, 2011, p.1). This is not enough to avert the problems that will exist in the future. Reducing the volume of waste that is produced by households is one of the keys to combatting the waste problem that is being faced by the UK.....