IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i12p4539-d375611.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Should Waste Separation Be Mandatory? A Study on Public’s Response to the Policies in China

Author

Listed:
  • Jing Hou

    (Business School, Jiangsu Normal University, No.101 Shanghai Road, Xuzhou 221116, China)

  • Yujing Jin

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Mining and Technology, No.1 Daxue Road, Xuzhou 221116, China)

  • Feiyu Chen

    (School of Economics and Management, China University of Mining and Technology, No.1 Daxue Road, Xuzhou 221116, China)

Abstract

The implementation of effective waste separation policy is an important pathway to guide the public to actively participate in the waste separation action. This study focused on exploring the Chinese public’s response to the rigid and flexible waste separation policies from the perspectives of understanding, willingness to support, and willingness to implement. We used a big data mining technique to obtain 10,057 entries of the Chinese public’s response to the mandatory waste separation policy. The results showed that “public’s understanding–support willingness-implement willingness” regarding mandatory waste separation policy was characterized by a U-shaped response. Specifically, the public’s understanding and willingness to implement the rigid waste separation policy were relatively high in the short term, but their willingness to support this policy was relatively low and became increasingly low over time. Particularly, “troublesome” implementation was deemed to the main reason for the public’s low willingness to support the rigid waste separation policy. In addition, we further obtained the sample data of the Chinese public regarding the flexible waste separation policy through the situational survey. Contrary to the response characteristics of mandatory waste separation policy, the results showed that “public’s understanding-support willingness-implement willingness” regarding flexible waste separation policy was characterized by an inverted U-shaped response, and the Chinese public showed more positive sentiment regarding the willingness to support and implement. The results have important implications for guiding the public to actively participate in the waste separation action.

Suggested Citation

  • Jing Hou & Yujing Jin & Feiyu Chen, 2020. "Should Waste Separation Be Mandatory? A Study on Public’s Response to the Policies in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:12:p:4539-:d:375611
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/12/4539/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/12/4539/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gaebler, Stefanie & Potrafke, Niklas & Roesel, Felix, 2020. "Compulsory voting and political participation: Empirical evidence from Austria," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    2. Fan, Rui & Xu, Ke & Zhao, Jichang, 2018. "An agent-based model for emotion contagion and competition in online social media," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 495(C), pages 245-259.
    3. Steven Cooke & Jesse Vermaire, 2015. "Environmental studies and environmental science today: inevitable mission creep and integration in action-oriented transdisciplinary areas of inquiry, training and practice," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 5(1), pages 70-78, March.
    4. Dongliang Zhang & Guangqing Huang & Xiaoling Yin & Qinghua Gong, 2015. "Residents’ Waste Separation Behaviors at the Source: Using SEM with the Theory of Planned Behavior in Guangzhou, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-17, August.
    5. Palmer, Karen & Sigman, Hilary & Walls, Margaret, 1997. "The Cost of Reducing Municipal Solid Waste," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 128-150, June.
    6. Zhang, Yue-Jun & Peng, Hua-Rong & Liu, Zhao & Tan, Weiping, 2015. "Direct energy rebound effect for road passenger transport in China: A dynamic panel quantile regression approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 303-313.
    7. James Stoutenborough & Arnold Vedlitz, 2014. "Public Attitudes Toward Water Management and Drought in the United States," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(3), pages 697-714, February.
    8. Feiyu Chen & Fang Wang & Jing Hou, 2020. "Individual Preference Framework or Group Preference Framework? Which Will Regulate the Impact Path of Product Facilities on Residents’ Waste-Sorting Behavior Better," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-19, March.
    9. Arkes, Hal R. & Blumer, Catherine, 1985. "The psychology of sunk cost," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 124-140, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xuemeng Zhang & Chao Liu & Yuexi Chen & Guanghong Zheng & Yinguang Chen, 2022. "Source separation, transportation, pretreatment, and valorization of municipal solid waste: a critical review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(10), pages 11471-11513, October.
    2. Aiqin Wang & Xuyang Chen & Xu Wang & Jia Wei & Liying Song, 2022. "Determinants of Satisfaction with Solid Waste Management Services: A Central–Local Comparison in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-22, April.
    3. Zhuoya Ren & Ganggang Zuo, 2024. "Challenges of Implementing Municipal Solid Waste Separation Policy in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-18, September.
    4. Wei Li & Si Chen & Zhihao Wang & Guomin Li & Xiaoguang Liu, 2022. "The Influence of Message Framing on Residents’ Waste Separation Willingness—The Mediating Role of Moral Identity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-18, May.
    5. Jianfang Liang & Ruiwen Wang & Jingjun Li, 2022. "Exploring the Relationship between Chinese Urban Residents’ Perceptions of Sustainable Consumption and Their Efficiency Behavior: A Mediation and Moderation Analysis Based on the Social Practice Appro," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-25, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lichi Zhang & Yanyan Jiang & Junmin Wu, 2022. "Evolutionary Game Analysis of Government and Residents’ Participation in Waste Separation Based on Cumulative Prospect Theory," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Cantoni, Enrico & Gazzè, Ludovica & Schafer, Jerome, 2021. "Turnout in concurrent elections: Evidence from two quasi-experiments in Italy," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    3. Sleesman, Dustin J., 2019. "Pushing through the tension while stuck in the mud: Paradox mindset and escalation of commitment," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 83-96.
    4. Boehne, Donna M. & Paese, Paul W., 2000. "Deciding Whether to Complete or Terminate an Unfinished Project: A Strong Test of the Project Completion Hypothesis," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 81(2), pages 178-194, March.
    5. Freeman, Steven F., 1997. "Good decisions : reconciling human rationality, evolution, and ethics," Working papers WP 3962-97., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    6. Eduardo Ley & Molly K. Macauley & Stephen W. Salant, "undated". "Spatially and intertemporally efficient waste management: The costs of interstate flow control," Working Papers 97-07, FEDEA.
    7. Nketiah, Emmanuel & Song, Huaming & Cai, Xiang & Adjei, Mavis & Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson & Obuobi, Bright, 2022. "Citizens’ intention to invest in municipal solid waste to energy projects in Ghana: The impact of direct and indirect effects," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PC).
    8. Andrea Morone & Simone Nuzzo & Rocco Caferra, 2019. "The Dollar Auction Game: A Laboratory Comparison Between Individuals and Groups," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 28(1), pages 79-98, February.
    9. Etienne Lorang & Antonello Lobianco & Philippe Delacote, 2023. "Increasing Paper and Cardboard Recycling: Impacts on the Forest Sector and Carbon Emissions," Post-Print hal-04690101, HAL.
    10. Louis Lévy-Garboua & Claude Montmarquette, 1996. "Cognition In Seemingly Riskless Choices And Judgments," Rationality and Society, , vol. 8(2), pages 167-185, May.
    11. H. Henry Cao & Bing Han & David Hirshleifer & Harold H. Zhang, 2011. "Fear of the Unknown: Familiarity and Economic Decisions," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 15(1), pages 173-206.
    12. repec:cup:judgdm:v:8:y:2013:i:5:p:521-526 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Yoo, Sunbin & Koh, Kyung Woong & Yoshida, Yoshikuni & Wakamori, Naoki, 2019. "Revisiting Jevons's paradox of energy rebound: Policy implications and empirical evidence in consumer-oriented financial incentives from the Japanese automobile market, 2006–2016," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    14. Liu, Jianing & Wen, Xiao & Jian, Sisi, 2024. "Toward better equity: Analyzing travel patterns through a neural network approach in mobility-as-a-service," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 110-126.
    15. Wang, Yuanyuan & Chi, Yuanying & Xu, Jin-Hua & Yuan, Yongke, 2022. "Consumers’ attitudes and their effects on electric vehicle sales and charging infrastructure construction: An empirical study in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    16. Mehmet Nar, 2015. "The Effects of Behavioral Economics on Tax Amnesty," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 5(2), pages 580-589.
    17. Zhang, Yue-Jun & Liu, Zhao & Zhou, Si-Ming & Qin, Chang-Xiong & Zhang, Huan, 2018. "The impact of China's Central Rise Policy on carbon emissions at the stage of operation in road sector," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 159-173.
    18. Christoph Bühren & Thorben C. Kundt, 2013. "Worker or Shirker – Who Evades More Taxes? A Real Effort Experiment," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201326, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    19. Zhang, nan & Qin, Botao, 2020. "Reference point adaptation and air quality – Experimental evidence with anti-PM 2.5 facemasks from China," MPRA Paper 102935, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Hisaki Kono & Yasuyuki Sawada & Abu S. Shonchoy, 2016. "DVD-based Distance-learning Program for University Entrance Exams: Experimental Evidence from Rural Bangladesh," CIRJE F-Series CIRJE-F-1027, CIRJE, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo.
    21. Acuff, Kaylee & Kaffine, Daniel T., 2013. "Greenhouse gas emissions, waste and recycling policy," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 74-86.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:12:p:4539-:d:375611. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.