Factors influencing on residents’ household waste separation behavioral intention: Evidence from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract

Household solid waste has become a serious problem in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam over the last 10 years, resulting in significant side effects on the environment. Although various programs of waste separation at source have been deployed, they have stopped at the level of the pilot - programs and have generally not been replicable. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study was examined the key factors influencing waste separation behavioral intention of residents in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam’s economic center. By using SPSS 20.0 software for the sample size of 487 residents, the regression models are used to process and explain data. The research detects six factors, namely Attitude towards waste separation; Social norms; Perceived behavioral control; Knowledge about waste separation; Laws and regulations; Propaganda that significantly directly affected residents ‘behavioral intention, Knowledge about waste separation being the strongest construct significantly to predict individuals’ intention. Of the six above-listed constructs, only Perceived behavioral control had a negative impact on residents’ waste separation behavioral intention. The findings from this research may help policy-makers have a better understanding of residents’ waste separation behavioral intention.