Nearly seven out of ten were in accord that there should be laws to ensure that manufacturers take responsibility for their effects on the environment. Only when prompted did respondents concur that recycling is an important part of protecting the environment. The current recycling behavior of King County residents is generally good. The residents were also more likely to agree that they are personally, more so than their community, doing everything they can to ensure recycling. Consumer behavior regarding buying recycled products is not as good.
Most consumers are concerned with price and quality when buying products.
While three out of four said they would generally choose recycled products over products that are not made of recycled materials, they would not be willing to pay a higher price for them or to sacrifice quality. Slightly more than half of consumers were also generally not willing to go out of their way to find products made of recycled materials. Those who did not generally purchase recycled products believed that the quality of recycled products was not as good as those made with virgin materials. The majority of respondents were aware that paper and plastic products are made from recycled materials, but were not aware that items like paint, insulation, and flooring materials are. Only one out of four was acquainted with the phrase.