Residents' Waste Separation Behaviors at the Source: Using SEM with the Theory of Planned Behavior in Guangzhou, China.

Xiaoling Yin,Qinghua Gong,Dongliang Zhang,Guangqing Huang

doi:10.3390/ijerph120809475

Abstract

Understanding the factors that affect residents’ waste separation behaviors helps in constructing effective environmental campaigns for a community. Using the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study examines factors associated with waste separation behaviors by analyzing responses to questionnaires distributed in Guangzhou, China. Data drawn from 208 of 1000-field questionnaires were used to assess socio-demographic factors and the TPB constructs (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and situational factors). The questionnaire data revealed that attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and situational factors significantly predicted household waste behaviors in Guangzhou, China. Through a structural equation modeling analysis, we concluded that campaigns targeting moral obligations may be particularly effective for increasing the participation rate in waste separation behaviors.

Highlights

Household solid waste (HSW) management has been and will continue to be a major issue facing countries worldwide [1], in the cities of developing countries [2]
In structural equation modeling (SEM), the sample size should not be too small or too large, because this type of an analysis relies on tests that are sensitive to the number of observations as well as to the magnitudes of differences in covariance matrices
Based on questionnaire data from residents’ separation behavior, we found that attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intention, and situational factors significantly predicted household waste behaviors in Guangzhou, China

Summary

Introduction

Household solid waste (HSW) management has been and will continue to be a major issue facing countries worldwide [1], in the cities of developing countries [2]. HSW is generally defined as waste produced by normal household activities, and it is a major source of municipal solid waste [3]. China’s continuing development, with its current total population of approximately. 1.35 billion and its industrialization and urbanization, will accelerate the daily generation and volume rate of HSW. With a total HSW generation of 170.81 million tons in 2012, the average generation rate was 0.35 kg/capita/day [4]. One way to overcome these problems is with recycling, and the important prerequisite for recycling is separation of HSW at the source. The successful management and marketing of any HSW recycling scheme will require national and local governments to encourage high levels of public participation to ensure that the planned technology is implemented successfully [5]

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Discussion

Conclusion