Can supervision promote domestic waste sorting? Evidence from China

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Urban Planning
• Public Health

Background:

• Effective waste sorting is crucial for ecological sustainability, urban living standards, and public health.
• Promoting domestic waste sorting among urban residents remains a challenge.
• Understanding the drivers of waste sorting behavior is essential for policy development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically examine the impact of waste sorting supervision on residents' domestic waste sorting behavior in Beijing.
• To investigate the mediating mechanisms through which supervision influences waste sorting.
• To analyze the heterogeneity of supervision's effect across different demographic groups (age, income).

Main Methods:

• Utilized survey data from urban residents in Beijing.
• Employed a multiple mediators model to analyze the impact and mediating factors.
• Examined the influence of waste sorting supervision on awareness of significance, standards, and policies.

Main Results:

• 82.1% of residents participate in waste sorting, indicating room for improvement.
• Waste sorting supervision significantly promotes residents' involvement in domestic waste sorting.
• Supervision's effect is more pronounced among younger and low-income residents, showing age and income heterogeneity.
• Supervision enhances awareness of waste sorting significance, standards, and policies, acting as a key mediator.

Conclusions:

• Waste sorting supervision is an effective strategy to increase domestic waste sorting participation in urban areas.
• Targeted interventions considering age and income demographics can optimize supervision effectiveness.
• Improving residents' awareness of waste sorting's importance and guidelines is a key pathway for promoting sustainable waste management practices.