‘Can we talk dirty?’ campaign shows creative communications can improve recycling engagement

A playful campaign backed by Ecosurety has demonstrated the power of bold, audience-centred communications to tackle one of the biggest barriers to effective recycling: food contamination.

Working alongside environmental charity Hubbub and Lambeth Council, Ecosurety supported the development of 'Can We Talk Dirty?' - a campaign designed to engage younger adults on the importance of cleaning food packaging before recycling.

Targeting 18–34-year-olds in Brixton, the campaign took a deliberately different approach to traditional recycling communications. Instead of relying on instructional lectures, it used humour and relatable content to encourage younger audiences to stop, pay attention and engage with a topic they might normally scroll past.

The campaign included social media advertising, cinema trailers, street interviews and outdoor advertising, all designed to make recycling communications more engaging and memorable.

Tackling food contamination

Food contamination is a significant challenge for recycling systems, with many residents unaware of the impact that leftover food can have on the quality and quantity of material that can be successfully recycled.

Research carried out before the campaign found that 59% of residents were unsure how clean food packaging needs to be before it can be recycled, while 60% were unclear about what items can be recycled. More than a quarter (27%) said they did not understand the consequences of putting the wrong items into recycling bins.

The campaign results demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach. Post-campaign research found that 99% of those in the target age group liked the campaign style. Participants reported being more likely to stop and engage with the campaign because it did not resemble a typical recycling advertisement.

The campaign also reinforced an important insight for future behaviour change initiatives: many residents already want to recycle correctly but do not fully understand how food contamination affects the recycling process. Communications that focus on entertainment, authenticity and self-awareness can be more effective at reaching audiences than traditional authority-led messaging.

What’s next?

The full campaign report is now available, sharing the approach, insights and results behind ‘Can We Talk Dirty’ for local authorities, waste organisations and other behaviour change professionals looking to improve recycling engagement. The campaign provides a flexible blueprint that can be adapted for different audiences, locations and communications channels.

Hubbub are looking for local authorities, waste authorities and waste management companies who are interested in replicating the campaign, with the flexibility to adapt it to better suit their audience, location and preferred comms channels.

If you're keen to get involved, reach out to Hubbub on hello@hubbub.org.uk.