Analyzing Some Motivational Factors of Recycling Behavior in Zagreb, Croatia

Zrinka Ristic

DOI: 10.2190/VXJ3-BCQR-9CQX-X9YY

Abstract

The study examines factors that contribute to recycling behavior. In Zagreb, 104 participants, members of households who most often take care of household waste, were classified as recyclers and nonrecyclers based on their self-reports. Although almost all subjects showed proenvironmental orientation, recyclers differed significantly from nonrecyclers in the extent to which they endorsed prorecycling attitudes. Furthermore, compared to nonrecyclers, recyclers perceived recycling as an easier activity, accepted more responsibility for carrying it out, saw solid waste problems as more pronounced, and were more accustomed to recycling. Moreover, recyclers were more altruistically motivated. Recyclers and nonrecyclers were in other respects similar in their perception of the municipal recycling program, and did not differ in their ratings of social support and extrinsic motivation. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that two factors were significant predictors of recycling behavior: perception of collection containers distance and perception of individual responsibility and effectiveness of individual action. These factors accounted for 31.4 percent of the variance in recycling behavior.

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