Extended discussion paper from AA-CEAP1 Subgroup 3: consumer behaviour
Municipal solid waste management systems vary greatly across Europe. However, due to the Waste Framework Directive and the Circular Economy Action Plan, they share the common goal of increasing recycling. The first step towards increasing the recycling of valuable materials (e.g. glass, plastic, metal, paper) is to implement a successful separate waste collection (SWC) system. Citizens’ behaviour plays a key role in separate collection. Thus, it is important to understand the main behavioural factors of waste sorting and how they can be encouraged. This study presents the main findings of a literature review focused on identifying and classifying the factors underlying SWC. Along with the literature review, various stakeholders participated in a survey to identify the factors influencing SWC. We discuss factors affecting whether people are motivated, capable and perceive the right opportunities to sort their waste. These factors allow for a much more detailed understanding of consumer waste sorting than socio-demographic characteristics. However, some factors might be more or less relevant depending on the countries.
CRISTOBAL GARCIA Jorge;
PIERRI Erika;
ANTONOPOULOS Ioannis;
BRUNS Hendrik;
FOSTER Gillian;
GAUDILLAT Pierre;
2022-12-05
Publications Office of the European Union
JRC131042
978-92-76-59008-8 (online),
978-92-76-59007-1 (print),
1831-9424 (online),
1018-5593 (print),
EUR 31310 EN,
OP KJ-NA-31-310-EN-N (online),
OP KJ-NA-31-310-EN-C (print),
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC131042,
10.2760/665482 (online),
10.2760/77931 (print),
