Factors Determining Household Waste Segregation Behaviour: An Indian Case Study

Abstract

Waste represents used things or materials that are no longer required or wanted. These articles are cast off as they have stopped working or because they have ceased to be of value. Human settlements inevitably generate waste. According to UNEP's Global Waste Management Outlook 2024, the quantity of waste being generated is growing each year due to augmented economic growth accompanied with untenable consumption and production practices. In fact, global municipal solid waste (MSW) generation per year is projected to grow from 2.1 billion tonnes in 2020 to 2.7 billion tonnes in 2030 and further to 3.2 and 3.8 billion tonnes in 2040 and 2050 respectively. According to the World Bank, more than a third of waste generated globally is not managed in an environmentally sound manner and emissions related to solid waste are likely to increase to 2.6 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050. The present study based in Delhi with a sample of 708 households aims to understand the factors influencing the adoption of the “practice of waste segregation” by households. From our SEM and Path analysis we conclude that environmental awareness, knowledge about waste segregation and the perception about actual task of waste segregation have a significant impact on the practice of waste segregation. Environmental awareness has the largest impact followed by knowledge about how to undertake the task of waste segregation. In the light of our results, it is important and imperative to create awareness about the negative environmental impact of not segregating waste as well as demystifying the actual task of practising waste segregation.