Municipal Solid Waste Policy and Public Participation in Household Source Reduction

Abstract

This study examines the nature of public participation in implementing household source reduction of municipal solid waste in order to inform the development of waste policy. The objectives are to determine the degree of public participation in household source reduction, the importance given to this waste strategy relative to other waste management approaches with an emphasis on recycling, but also including landfilling and incineration, the motivations behind its practice and the demographic and attitudinal correlates of its practitioners. The method used was a telephone survey of residents in a community in Connecticut, U.S.A. The results were analysed using descriptive and correlational statistics.The results indicate that the activity of source reduction, using a variety of measures, is being widely practiced. Over 50% of respondents participated in at least one source reduction activity. However, the intensity of participation was low, with many individuals participating only infrequently in the activity. Furthermore, the amount of material potentially reduced through source reduction in the home is small. There was an equal degree of public support for recycling efforts with a large percentage of respondents considering recycling to be more important than source reduction. Demographic variab!es in this community did not prove to be significantly correiated with source reduction attitudes and behaviour.One policy implication is that the home may not be the most effective place for source reduction. as contrasted with recycling, given the limited number of source reduction activities available in the home. A second policy implication is that mechanisms to facilitate source reduction need to be developed. Finally, policy makers need to concentrate educational efforts towards public recognition of both what constitutes source reduction and the importance of this activity.Q 1996 ISWA

Evaluation of Household Food Waste Generation in Hanoi and Policy Implications towards SDGs Target 12.3

“…Respondents were considering possible ways to reduce food waste, including limiting the amount of food cooked, reducing the amount of food ordered when eating out, regularly checking food in their refrigerators or cupboards, trying to avoid overshopping or purchasing in bulk, checking "use-by" dates regularly, planning in advance for each meal, and figuring out how to make other dishes from leftover food ( Figure 10). Although earlier research suggests a tenuous correlation between people's attitudes in reducing food waste and actual behaviour [36,37], the results from this survey suggest the importance of identifying potential ways that consumers can apply promising methods to reduce food waste more easily than current practices. Although earlier research suggests a tenuous correlation between people's attitudes in reducing food waste and actual behaviour [36,37], the results from this survey suggest the importance of identifying potential ways that consumers can apply promising methods to reduce food waste more easily than current practices.…”

“…Although earlier research suggests a tenuous correlation between people's attitudes in reducing food waste and actual behaviour [36,37], the results from this survey suggest the importance of identifying potential ways that consumers can apply promising methods to reduce food waste more easily than current practices. Although earlier research suggests a tenuous correlation between people's attitudes in reducing food waste and actual behaviour [36,37], the results from this survey suggest the importance of identifying potential ways that consumers can apply promising methods to reduce food waste more easily than current practices.…”

Promoting waste separation for recycling and local governance in Thailand

“…This has been propelled by two inter-related factors: heightened environmental awareness and public education, and co-production or partnerships in the recycling program (Folz, 1999(Folz, , 1991Taylor, 1999;Lober, 1996;Tchobanoglous, Theusen, & Vigil, 1993;Ward & Gleiber, 1993;Powelson & Powelson, 1992;Anderson & Burnham, 1992). In turn, development of these factors implies two important favorable conditions: (a) the existence of an adequate civic culture or awareness; 1 and, (b) fairly developed opportunity structures for participation and whose utilization by citizens has been producing unequivocal results about the efficacy of participation (Dotcherty, Goodlad, & Paddison, 2001;Brinkerhoff, 2000).…”

Toward a Socially Desirable EU Research and Innovation Agenda on Urban Waste: A Transnational EU Citizen Consultation

“…Since the project aimed to develop more in-depth understanding of citizens' perceptions by identifying their thoughts and ideas, using their own framing and words, a quantitative approach [24][25][26] in which perceptions are identified based on pre-defined answers was considered less suitable. Rather, a qualitative approach was selected, namely the focus group (FG) method.…”