Factors influencing participation in the waste management program of Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada

Issue Date

12-2004

Abstract

The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) implements the Integrated Waste/Resource Management Strategy (IWRMS) that treats garbage not as a waste, but as a resource. The IWRMS has three components: recycling, composting, and household hazardous waste. The IWRMS integrates responsibility from the waste producers. Households are required to segregate their wastes at the source before they are set out and collected from the curb. Recycling and green cart composting are collected at the curb while hazardous wastes are dropped off at a designated depot. Alternatively, households may drop off certain recyclable materials at depots to claim a deposit refund and may construct their own backyard composters. The IWRMS integrates responsibility from the waste producers. Households are required to segregate their wastes at the source before they are set out and collected from the curb. This study gathers responses from 265 households around HRM to identify what factors influence their participation in the program, particularly in recycling and composting. The results show that participation in recycling is influenced mainly by a positive personal norm or that the behavior has already become part of the participant's lifestyle. Other factors that have some influence on recycling behavior are higher household income and a strong neighborhood attachment. The main factor that influence participation in composting are personal norms and ownership of the dwelling. Other factors that motivate composting are higher household income, older age, knowledge of proper segregation, and finding interest in composting activities. The results show that personal norm is related to with knowledge, convenience, and satisfaction in recycling, as well as convenience in composting.

Source or Periodical Title

Journal of Environmental Science and Management

ISSN

0119-1144

Volume

7

Issue

2

Page

1-13

Document Type

Article

Frequency

semi-annually

Physical Description

illustrations, tables

Language

English

Subject

waste management. environmental behavior, environmental education, recycling, composting

Digital Copy

Yes

Link to Full Text

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