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Research and Insights: Moving from Directives toward Audience Empowerment: A Typology of Recycling Communication Strategies of Local Governments

Just when most people have become accustomed to existing recycling practices, municipalities and community members are having to change course due to the 2018 Chinese National Sword policy, which bans most U.S. imported solid waste. As a result, what was once recyclable may no longer be and can cause large swaths of materials to be considered contaminated if not properly sorted, resulting in the entire segment being rendered unrecyclable and possibly fines for the municipality.

How does a local government effectively communicate these process changes when recycling habits are ingrained in daily routines? University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications researchers Janice L. Krieger, director of the STEM Translational Communication Center, and doctoral student Donghee Lee evaluated communication strategies from 30 counties in a large and diverse state. The research identified six distinct types of recycling communication patterns employed by municipal solid waste county governments.

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Posted: June 24, 2020
Category: Digest Only