Qué motiva la decisión de separar los residuos sólidos en la fuente?: un análisis de diversas dimensiones del comportamiento de los hogares en la zona urbana de la ciudad de Cuenca – Ecuador

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to develop an explicative model of the main determinants of the decision to separate household waste of urban households in Cuenca, Ecuador through a survey. For this, two processes are carried out. First, the PLS-SEM model based on the TPB, NAM and ABC theories; and second, the probability of the decision to separate inorganic and organic waste is estimated using two probit models. The findings show for organic and inorganic separation, attitude is the only internal psychological factor that positively influences the decision to separate. Furthermore, all external psychological factors are significant in the separation of inorganic waste such as the separation cost, the government stimulus and government intervention, the latter being irrelevant in the separation of organic waste. Also, the probit estimates reveal that educational level positively influences both models, individually, sex influences inorganic separation, while age influences organic separation. And finally, regarding waste management variables, knowledge of fines and the use of the reusable bag are significant in the separation of organic and inorganic waste.