Residents’ waste source separation behaviours in Shanghai, China

Keqiang Wang; Jianglin Lu; Hongmei Liu

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the driving forces behind waste source separation behaviour (WSSB), and behaviour anticipation was first introduced under the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). The specific research hypotheses (RHs) regarding WSSB are supported by relevant literature and the TPB, seven conceptual factors are established to investigate the key forces behind the rarely discussed WSSB of household solid waste (HSW), and the RHs are empirically tested through the structural equation modelling method with the 433 surveys conducted in Shanghai, China. Some interesting findings are observed in this study: both behaviour anticipation and environmental awareness and knowledge have an influence on attitudes. Attitudes, subjective norms (SNs), cost of separation, and convenience are all confirmed to play a role in influencing the separation intention towards WSSB. It was observed that separation intention and convenience have a significant effect on positive WSSB behaviour, which is supported by the TPB. In addition, several implications are proposed to strengthen WSSB.

DOI: 10.1007/S10163-021-01179-7