Plastic pollution represents a grand challenge facing society, yet the amount of plastic being recycled is only about 5%. This recycling crisis has intensified with the growing problem of recycling contamination (i.e., incorrect placement of unrecyclable materials in recycling receptacles). This research investigates the potential for informational point-of-disposal recycling signage to decrease recycling contamination. In a longitudinal field study and three experiments, the authors demonstrate that providing schema-congruent prescriptive information (“Recycle these items”) does not reduce recycling contamination and may inadvertently lead to over-recycling. In contrast, the presence of proscriptive information that is moderately incongruent with established schemas (“Do not recycle these items”) prompts more effortful, piecemeal processing. This encourages individuals to integrate the information into their recycling decisions, diminishing their dependence on pre-existing beliefs and expectations regarding recycling and, consequently, lowering contamination rates. Recycling expertise is found to moderate the effects of point-of-disposal recycling signage. By examining such nuanced recycling communication strategies, this research aims to shift the conversation from “recycle more” to “recycle right.”

塑料污染是社会面临的巨大挑战，但回收的塑料量仅为 5% 左右。随着回收污染问题（即在回收容器中错误放置不可回收的材料）的日益严重，这种回收危机加剧了。本研究调查了信息性处置点回收标牌减少回收污染的潜力。在一项纵向实地研究和三个实验中，作者证明，提供图式一致的规定信息（“回收这些物品”）不会减少回收污染，并且可能会无意中导致过度回收。相比之下，存在与已建立架构 （“不回收这些项目”） 适度不一致的禁止性信息会促使进行更费力的零碎处理。这鼓励个人将信息整合到他们的回收决策中，减少他们对回收的既有信念和期望的依赖，从而降低污染率。发现回收专业知识可以缓和处置点回收标志的影响。通过研究这种细致入微的回收传播策略，本研究旨在将对话从“更多回收”转变为“正确回收”。