The effects of bin location and abundance on disposal behavior at beaches

Among the methods to deal with marine pollution, little attention has been given to behavioral interventions. To bridge this gap, the current research examines the effects of trash receptacle abundance and location on beachgoer waste disposal behavior. Across six conditions, one, five, or ten trash cans were positioned in middle or back portion of beaches. Each day, litter and trash weight were recorded, and significantly more trash was collected when ten cans were positioned in the middle (M = 21.441 lbs.), compared to back of beaches (M = 7.033 lbs.). As well, more waste was collected when ten receptacles, compared to one (M = 14.186 lbs.), were placed in the middle of beaches. Aluminum was the most frequently littered item, and the highest average littering rate among conditions was 11.381 items per day. These findings suggest increasing convenience can modify waste disposal behavior and such interventions may be important for future prevention efforts.