Fatores preditores do comportamento de reciclagem: um estudo comparativo em municípios com diferentes índices de gestão de resíduos

Abstract

The issue of urban solid waste management has become increasingly complex, and for actions created as a way to alleviate or solve this problem to be successful, it is necessary to understand the main core of its cause: human behavior. Recycling is one of the most efficient processes for treating waste, where there is a recovery of the reusable part of the waste from the production or consumption system, to reintroduce them into the production cycle from which they come. Therefore, understanding pro-environmental human behavior, and within this, recycling, becomes a point of considerable importance, in the sense of creating effective public policies. Thus, the general objective of this research was to verify the influence of different levels of the municipal waste management index on the recycling behavior of its residents. As specific objectives, the following were established: i) to verify the existence of differences in recycling behavior between individuals of the two populations; ii) to determine differences in the influence of dependent variables on recycling behavior between the two groups of individuals; iii) contribute with a basis for the elaboration of public policies related to solid waste management. Data collection took place with the application of the questionnaire through a survey type research, initially composed of questions to survey the sociodemographic profile of the populations and later presenting the questions arising from predictive factors of behavior such as social norms, affection, perceived behavioral control, attitudes, intentions, habits and recycling behaviors. The study had 618 valid responses (city A with 314, city B with 304 responses). The research data were treated using the statistical tool of multivariate analysis, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) or Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), defined as an extension of several multivariate techniques, more precisely multiple regression and factor analysis. All statistical and graphical tests were performed using SPSS AMOS software version 26 and R Studio version 1.4.4. The theoretical model defined and implemented was based on the hypotheses suggested throughout the text. The structural model led to the conclusion that the 5 studied constructs have different effects in cities A and B. In addition to contributing in the academic field with the production of knowledge, the present study also adds to practical levels, subsidizing the basis for public policies related to the environment and recycling.