WM Recycling Report focuses on ‘say-do’ gap between recycling intentions, behaviors

Waste and recycling company WM, Houston, has released its 2025 WM Recycling Report, which claims a significant “say-do gap” between Americans’ recycling intentions and their actual behaviors. The survey also highlights that consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies with well-known product brands can influence purchasing decisions by prioritizing recyclability.

Based on a national survey of more than 1,000 consumers and immersive behavioral research in various U.S. markets, WM says the report highlights how positive emotions, everyday rituals and competing priorities shape recycling, identifying opportunities to make recycling easier, more convenient and more impactful. The report also claims that consumers often favor companies with recycling commitments, such as those that use recycled content in products or businesses that make recycling available.

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“The 2025 WM Recycling Report shows us that to truly close the gap between intention and action, recycling providers, consumer packaged goods companies and municipalities need to meet people where they are and understand what influences them to recycle,” WM Chief Sustainability Officer Tara Hemmer says. “At WM, we are investing in technology, infrastructure and education to help turn good recycling intentions into real, lasting impact—all while working with companies to help them maintain their recycled content commitments and with municipalities to increase recycling access in communities.”

WM says its research found that Americans are as committed to recycling as ever, but sometimes life can get in the way of making the effort to recycle. Many respondents note that corporate recycling commitments can influence purchasing habits, which WM says is critical as companies purchasing recycled content for use in packaging is “imperative to recycling success.”

According to WM, key report findings include:

• a significant “say-do gap.” The report claims more than 3 in 4 Americans report they currently recycle, and 7 in 10 say it is easy, but Environmental Protection Agency data show that, based on materials Americans use today, only 32 percent are being recycled.
• recyclable packaging, recycled content can drive demand. The report claims nearly 63 percent of Americans say they would be more likely to purchase products from companies that use recycled content, with younger, higher-income consumers the most likely to reward companies that do so. Additionally, the report says 81 percent of respondents would be more likely to recycle if they knew the materials they recycled were ultimately used to create new products.
• Americans recognize corporate recycling commitments. The report says 77 percent of respondents notice when a business has recycling available, and 48 percent say the impact of a company’s sustainability goals is a strong factor in purchasing decisions.
• Recycling creates positive emotions. The report claims Americans are much more likely to link recycling with positive emotions such as satisfaction, optimism and accomplishment.
• Knowledge gaps weaken confidence, but interest in learning is high. The report says that while few claim to know what happens to their recycling after pickup, nearly 3 in 4 people would be interested in learning more—a sentiment WM says holds true across all age groups.

WM says its report reinforces recycling as a shared responsibility, spanning businesses, policymakers, local municipalities and consumer households to help expand recycling education, access and action.

“As North America’s largest recycler, WM empowers its customers to grow recycling capabilities through its expertise and innovative solutions,” the company says. “WM also continues investing to modernize recycling facilities with advanced technology nationwide, supporting its goal of recovering 25 million tons of material annually by 2030.”

WM notes it gathered insights from in-person interviews and online responses, and the report contains direct quotes and photos from participants, including more than 30 individuals from diverse geographic locations, including Dallas; Denver; Fort Walton, Florida; and Nashville, Tennesse. Over three days, third-party research firm Further&Further engaged participants in online discussions to understand their perspectives on recycling and their daily lives, with six individuals from that group taking part in a weeklong in-person immersion to gain a deeper understanding of their stories, priorities and approaches to waste and recycling.

WM says its quantitative survey was conducted online within the U.S. from Sept. 3-4 among 1,107 consumers aged 18 and above via the HarrisX Overnight Poll. The company says the results are intended to reflect a nationally representative sample of Americans aged 18 and above, and results were weighted for age, gender, region, race/ethnicity, income, political party, education, ideology and area type where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population at the time the survey was conducted.