Individuals' waste separation practice in a relationship with social bonds: a case study of Hanoi, Vietnam

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to ascertain whether residents in Nguyen Du ward still sort their waste at source following the end of the 3R project that ended in 2009. Additionally, this paper aims to explore the relationship between waste separation practices and social bonds.

Design/methodology/approach

The Travis Hirschi theory of social control was applied, together with the mixed method research design which included a structured questionnaire survey. Twelve semi-structured interviews were also conducted with residents and the data processed by SPSS software, using Chi-Square test, Independent-Samples t-test and Pearson's correlation analysis.

Findings

A proportion of respondents has continued practicing waste separation since the 3R project ended. The study also indicated that the greater the involvement in family and neighborhood activities the more the participants were likely to practice waste separation.

Research limitations/implications

The small sample size limits the extent to which the most influential factors can be determined and therefore the degree to which the findings can be generalized.

Practical implications

The study includes implications for rerunning the waste separation programs for households as together with community campaigns to improve individuals' attachment and commitment and thus their participation in pro-environmental behaviors.

Originality/value

To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to take a sociological approach to investigate factors affecting household waste separation, which has attracted little attention in previous studies. Useful information is also provided to local authorities for a policy-making process to implement effective domestic waste policies.

Citation

Nguyen, T.K.N. (2022), "Individuals' waste separation practice in a relationship with social bonds: a case study of Hanoi, Vietnam", International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, Vol. 42 No. 9/10, pp. 816-830. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-07-2021-0184