Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to determine recycling and waste minimisation behaviours: A case study of Bristol City, UK

The Australian Community Psychologist Volume 20 No 1 June 2008 The number of separate kerbside dryrecycling and organic waste collection systems operated by UK Local Authorities (LAs) has risen sharply as a result of the implementation of the European Landfill Directive (99/31/EC) into UK legislation on the 16th July 2001, concerns over remaining available landfill void space, and statutory recycling targets set by central government. The Landfill Directive seeks to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) going to landfill in three successive stages, (eventually by 2020 to 35% of the 1995 total of BMW), because of the negative environmental impacts associated with leachate and methane production. Many LAs are currently conducting pilot trials, research projects and system reviews to determine the best possible way of segregating, collecting, transporting and processing their recyclable wastes and minimising disposal to landfill. However, few councils are canvassing their residents views or taking into account individual motivations prior to designing and implementing their recycling schemes. The introduction of the Wastes and Emissions Trading Act 2005 and the subsequent Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS) on the 1st April 2005, which enabled the trading of landfill allowances between LAs, resulted in a landfill allowance being granted to every UK waste disposal authority (WDA). For every tonne that is landfilled over the allowance, a fine of £150 is incurred (DEFRA, 2005). LATS was launched as a “tool to enable WDAs and England to meet the targets for the reduction of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) sent to landfill in the most flexible and cost effective way” (DEFRA, 2005, p. 5). The legislation was designed to ensure that the UK meets its first Landfill Directive targets in 2010 and avoids non-compliance fines estimated at up to £0.5million per day (DEFRA, 2005). Our aim in this paper was to investigate the potential views and social impacts of expanding the current dryUsing the Theory of Planned Behaviour to determine recycling and waste minimisation behaviours: A case study of Bristol City, UK