Sparklo finds 50% of UAE residents recycle 1-2 times a week and 13% recycle daily

Sparklo, an AI-driven global cleantech company, has recently conducted a survey that reveals 67% of UAE residents would recycle more if they had better access to recycling infrastructure. The survey was conducted among 1,000 Sparklo users, part of a more extensive user base of 200,000 in the UAE. The results show that approximately 50 per cent of respondents recycle 1-2 times per week, while 13 per cent recycle daily.

While corresponding with the participants in the survey, Sparklo realised that recycling programmes and reverse vending machines should be more accessible across the cities to increase the recycling rate.

When asking the respondents about motivations, awareness, and challenges in recycling practices, Sparklo learnt that 70 per cent of them were fully informed about recycling programmes in the city. Thus, there is a need for further educational campaigns and public engagement programmes to enhance participation in recycling practices.

Environmental concern is one of the biggest motivations for recycling. Sparklo discovered that about 64 per cent of respondents recycle aluminium and plastic to reduce waste and save the planet. Economic benefits, being another significant motivational factor, encourage 62 per cent of the respondents with great rewards. In addition, many participants were found to be encouraged to adopt sustainable habits by their friends and family. So, Sparklo concluded that non-financial incentives, such as bonus systems and education programmes, should be adopted to inculcate recycling habits.

A study by Sparklo also revealed that 35 per cent were encouraged by education campaigns, 27 per cent would want to share sustainability commitment with friends and family, and 20 per cent were motivated through community competitions.

Overall, 92 per cent of the survey participants expressed their desire for more advanced and accessible recycling infrastructure.

Max Kaplevich, CEO of Sparklo, commented: "The survey results validate our fundamental belief — people will actively recycle when provided with accessible infrastructure and strong incentives. Our achievements in the UAE reflect this, with 200,000 registered users and nearly 200,000 bottles and cans being collected daily. To fully meet market demand, we estimate the need to install at least 5,000 additional Sparklomats in the UAE. This expansion will enable us to achieve our goal of collecting all bottles and cans in the region, making recycling as easy and enjoyable as grabbing a cup of coffee."