Ultra-Orthodox recycling narratives: implications for planning and policy

Purpose - Recycling facilities are not available in most Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jewish neighborhoods in Israel. Servicing Ultra-Orthodox communities would offer significant relief for rapidly bloating landfills. Haredi communities have highly religious lifestyles, very large families and tend to cluster together in communities, posing significant challenges in urban planning and policy. With careful planning and education these communities have the potential to be high-yield recyclers, as the act of recycling plastic, paper and glass is not religiously prohibited. The purpose of this paper is to determine the feasibility of installing recycling facilities in two Ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods in Jerusalem. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected by administering a short questionnaire to neighborhood residents and asking them questions about recycling behavior as well as demographic information. Findings - Ultra-Orthodox communities have a unique recycling narrative which determines the materials they are most likely to recycle. Rabbinical leaders and monetary incentives are instrumental in garnering support for recycling programs. Research limitations/implications - The findings shed light on demographic variables which influence recycling behavior such as age, gender, household size and religiosity/ethnicity. Practical implications - The rich data have significant planning and policy implications. As this study relies on statistically significant data, it is highly likely that the conclusions drawn are applicable to other Haredi neighborhoods and beyond. Originality/value - As a whole, Ultra-Orthodox attitudes and behaviors exposed in this study reveal, for the first time, a religious ethnography of recycling or a recycling narrative.