(Ineffective) Messages to Encourage Recycling: Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in Peru

Randomized 9 different recycling enrollment messages that were crafted based on best practice, prior evidence, and theories of behavioral change. The control group received PRISMA's (leading Peruvian NGO) standard marketing: door-to-door canvassing. The treatment groups, randomized at the household level, received this in addition to a flier introducing the recycling program and a "treatment message" via text messages. We tested four main information campaigns:
i) a focus on social norms, encouraging recipients to "conform" to the pro-environmental behavior of their peers;
ii) a focus on social sanctions, informing individuals that the participation rates of their street would be shared with others within and outside their community;
iii) an injunctive to recycle that was endorsed by religious or government authorities;
iv) a purely informational campaign with messages which stressed the social or environmental benefits of recycling and urged individuals to participate.

The relative effectiveness of these 9 treatments was then compared with a separate evaluation of 3 randomly assigned treatments meant to ease economic barriers to increase participation intensity in a sample of participants in the recycling program. One provided a free recycling bin, and a second a bin with a sticker containing instructions on how to sort recyclables from non-recyclables (i.e., information on the logistics of recycling). These were compared to a control group which received nothing. A separate treatment, randomized within the same group, were sent weekly SMS reminders the day before recyclables would be picked up from the curb.

2010-02-01

2010-08-31

participates at any time, participation ratio, participates during either of last 2 visits

- "Participates at any time" is an indicator equal to 1 if the family participated in the program and gave at least once.

- "Participation ratio" is the ratio of the number of times a household turned in residuals over the number of opportunities it had to turn in residuals. This variable measures the strength of commitment to the program. In constructing this measure, the denominator, opportunities to turn in residuals, includes instances in which there was nobody at the household when the residual collector visited.

- "Participates during either of last 2 visits" is an indicator of whether the household turned in residuals during one of the last two canvassing weeks (weeks [n] and [N] of the marketing/enrollment campaign). It measures the initial persistence of households’ commitment to the program.

Working with PRISMA, we designed a two-part study to help expand their recycling program. The first part of the experiment tested different messaging treatments designed to increase enrollment in the door-to-door recycling program (the "participation" study), and the second tested different methods of increasing recycling compliance for those who participated in the program (the "participation intensity" study).

in office by a computer (household level randomization stratifying on streets and cellphone ownership)

stratified, household-level randomization

No

6,718 households for the participation study and 1,785 households for the participation intensity study

Take up Sample: 6,718 households in new areas; Participation Sample: 1,785 households already registered in the program

Take up Sample: 6,718 households in new areas.

Flyer treatments (10 cells): "Conformity wealthy", "Conformity poor", “Signaling wealthy”, “Signaling poor”, "Authority Religious", "Authority Municipal", "Environmental emphasis" and "Social emphasis" account for 8.75 percent of the sample each, while the "Signaling proximate" treatment was assigned to 12.5 percent. Control was 17.5 percent. SMS owners represented 35% of sample and received additional reinforcements.

Participation Sample: 1,785 households already registered in the program of which 829 provided cellphone number.

SMS treatment (3 cells among 829 with cellphone): "Generic SMS", "Personalized SMS," and no SMS.

Bin treatment (3 cells among all 1,785 households): 303 bin to store their recyclables, 301 a plastic bin with a sticker, or 1182 no bin.

There is growing interest in using messaging to drive prosocial behaviors, which contribute to investment in public goods. The authors worked with a leading nongovernmental organization in Peru to randomize nine different prorecycling messages that were crafted on the basis of best practices, prior evidence, and theories of behavioral change. Different variants emphasized information on environmental or social benefits, social comparisons, social sanctions, authority, and reminders. None of the messages had significant effects on recycling behavior. However, reducing the cost of ongoing participation by providing a recycling bin significantly increased recycling among enrolled households.

Chong, Alberto, Dean Karlan, Jeremy Shapiro, Jonathan Zinman. "(Ineffective) Messages to Encourage Recycling: Evidence from a Randomized Evaluation in Peru," The World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 6548, July 2013.

http://elibrary.worldbank.org/doi/pdf/10.1596/1813-9450-6548