Nearly 94% of Americans know recycling is good for the environment, and nearly 60% correctly identify glass as part of sustaining a healthy lifestyle, according to a recent survey commissioned by the Glass Packaging Institute (GPI) and Dr. Doyle Yoon, PhD, a Professor at Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Oklahoma. The survey results are being released as part of Recycle Glass Week, Sept. 21 to 27, 2009, a national awareness week to encourage consumers to recycle more glass bottles and jars (see related story, “'Little Bottle' and 'Captain Cullet' among Recycle Glass Week highlights.”)

According to Dr. Yoon, “There is a high correlation between what people think about recycling and their actions. If a person thinks recycling is good for the environment, they are 83% more likely to recycle.”

The study adds that women ages 40 to 60 with incomes over $25,000 a year are among the most likely to recycle. They believe recycling is important, and they actually recycle. People who recycle are also five times more likely to seek products in recyclable packaging.

Of those households that recycle, 82% recycle glass bottles. When consumers were asked which containers are most “environmentally friendly,” 22% said glass bottles and jars, while 27% answered paper containers. Few chose plastic bottles (8%) or bag-in-box containers (9.5%).

“It is clear from the poll that Americans want to pitch in and recycle. We hope Recycle Glass Week will encourage consumers to recycle glass bottles and jars in their communities, along with other packaging materials. This will help reduce the amount of recyclable materials entering landfills and help create a ‘greener’ future,” says Joseph Cattaneo, president of GPI.

The poll also shows that most consumers (78%) also know glass bottles and jars can be recycled back into the same package again and again. And, consumers know glass is pure. Nearly 60% of consumers believe glass packaging is “best suited to a healthy lifestyle.” And, while 83% of consumers think plastic containers have added chemicals, only 11% think glass does.

During Recycle Glass Week, GPI will encourage consumers to recycle more glass containers in order to help U.S. glass container manufacturers reach the goal of using 50% cullet in the manufacture of new glass bottles and jars by 2013.

The survey of 750 Americans was conducted by telephone in July 2009 by Newton Marketing Research in conjunction with Dr. Yoon, with a margin of error of +/- 3.7%.