Abbasi Wong and Lalwani Recycling Attitudes and Behavior ICRM2010 Paper

7/27/2019 Abbasi Wong and Lalwani Recycling Attitudes and Behavior ICRM2010 Paper

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Recycling Attitudes & Behaviours: AStudy of Plastics Recycling SupplyChains in Pakistan

Muhammad Nauman Abbasi1*, Chee Yew Wong2 & Chandra Lalwani2

Abstract - This paper compares recycling attitudes and behaviours of key participants in Pakistans plastics recycling supply chains! "t involved initially informal intervie#s guided by a semi$structured%uestionnaire cross sectional surveys of '() households and *+ scrap dealers and multiple casestudies #ith ,( plastics pre$processors and ,- plastics recyclers .moulders/converters0 at seven citiesin Pakistan! 1uided by the model of consumer recycling behaviour proposed by Th2gersen! "t appears

that households lacked a#areness of the process involved after plastics recyclables are collected andthey lacked opportunity to participate3 furthermore their recycling behaviour #as largely motivated byfinancial benefits! 4aterial recovery facilities provided by the government appeared to be inade%uate!5or other private$sector participants .scrap dealers re$processor and moulders0 they lackedinvestment in e%uipments for sorting and storage of plastics #aste! 6e further e7plain the roles ofsocial norms ability to recycle opportunity to recycle and motivation .a#areness or monetary0 ande7tend Th2gersens model to include not 8ust households but also scrap dealers re$processors andmoulders! The developed measurement instrument is useful to study other recycling supply chains!

e! words" Solid #aste management plastic recycling recycling attitude recycling behaviour green manufacturing!

1. INTRODUCTION

Recycling and #aste management are one of the most important approaches in greenmanufacturing! 4ost studies of #aste management or recycling logistics focus mainly on

the technological and material aspects3 but behavioural conte7t is seldom considered! The

purpose of the paper is to compare recycling attitudes and behaviours of key plastics

recycling participants from households to the final re$manufacturers in Pakistan! The main

contribution of this paper is to advance the study of consumer recycling behaviour by

Th2gersen .+990! Th2gersen .+990 found that positive recycling attitude is one of the

enablers in promoting recycling behaviours in addition to conditions such as ability

opportunity and social norm! 5urther understanding of such conditions #ill enable us in

developing and testing models of recycling behaviour .Th2gersen +990 as #ell as

providing actionable recommendations to relevant policy makers!

This paper not 8ust investigate recycling attitudes and behaviours of households but

also e7tents the scope to other participants such as scrap collectors scrap dealers plastics

re$processors or re$manufacturers! Such an e7tension #ill further reveal factors #hichdisrupt or enhance the efficiency of plastics recycling supply chains! 5or e7ample a

previous research suggests that regulations and market forces may affect the profitability

investment participation and ability of recycling participants .such as haulers scrap



dealers and recycling companies0 and subse%uently the effectiveness of the reverse logistics

flo# of plastics recyclables .Pohlen and Theodore "" +99,0! 4ore research of such nature

#ill certainly lead to a more complete e7planation of the flo#s of plastics recycling supply

chains!

2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

"n order to facilitate this research several key constructs .attitude behaviour motivationintention social norms opportunity to participate and task ability0 are first defined andclarified and then their causal relationships are stipulated!

Attitude .motivation0 can be defined as a learned predisposition to respond in a consistentlyfavourable or unfavourable manner #ith respect to a given ob8ect .5ishbein and A8;en+9<*0! 4uch of the earlier research attempted to demonstrate the utility of attitude concept

by sho#ing that people #ho behave in different #ays also different in their attitudes!

=o#ever 5ishbein and A8;en .+9<*0 suggest that the performance or non$performance of aspecific behaviour #ith respect to some ob8ect usually cannot be predicted from kno#ledgeof the persons attitude to#ard the ob8ect! "nstead they suggest the need to understandfactors that influence the formation of behavioural intention! These factors are for e7ample

belief attitude and sub8ective .social0 norms!

"ntention can be indicated by a persons sub8ective probability that he or she #ill performthe behaviour in %uestion! >ne #ay to measure plastic recycling attitude is to ask theinformant that if he or she #ould recycle plastic! Recycling intention can be measured byasking informants if they #ould or #ould not sort store and sell .in some countries puttingor sending recyclables to designated recycling bins or sites0 end$of$use and end$of$life

plastic items from house garbage!

Social norms refer to the belief that certain referents think the person should or should not perform the behaviour in %uestion .5ishbein and A8;en +9<*0! The person may or may not be motivated to comply #ith any given referent3 therefore it is called ?sub8ective norms@! "nterms of plastics recycling social norms can be measured by referring to the informants

belief that the society e7pects he or she to recycle because it is part of the social and moralobligation or it helps to reduce environmental problem! "n addition to social norms andintentions opportunity to recycle and task ability can also play a role in enabling recycling!>pportunity to participate refers to the available facilities and initiatives #hich providechance and convenience for participants to recycle! ven though there are opportunity and

positive attitudes to#ards recycling participants need to ac%uire task ability .or kno#ledge0or else recycling #ill not take place effective!

"n summary recycling attitudes are the psychological tendencies of recycling participants toevaluate recycling processes in conte7t of their social and personal norms and intention to

participate in recycling depends on recycling opportunities and abilities! Recycling behaviour is defined as the outcome of recycling attitudes and intention to participate in

recycling process! Based on the theory of reasoned actions Th2gersen .+990 suggests thatrecycling intentions can be predicted by attitudes and social norms #hile the intentions

behaviour relationship may be further influenced by opportunity and ability! A feedbackloop in Th2gersens model allo#s for ability .i!e! habits and task kno#ledge0 to shape the

beliefs and evaluations #hich inform attitudes!



3. RESEARCH METHODS

The study is conducted e7clusively in plastic industry of Pakistan! The research is carriedout in t#o phases! "n the first phase informal intervie#s guided by a semi$structured

%uestionnaire are conducted to identify key participants and issues related to recycling

attitude and behaviour! "n the second phase #e carried out cross sectional surveys of

households scrap dealers plastics pre$processors and plastics recyclers at seven cities as

summari;ed in Table +! Comparisons among recycling participants are based on the means

of the measurement scale .about recycling attitudes behaviours motivation opportunity to

participate and a#areness0!

TABLE :

Sampling & analysis methods (second phase)

4. FINDINGS

The plastic recycling chain in Pakistan begins with common man(hoseholds) who collect! assort! store and sell end"o#"se and$orend"o#"li#e recyclables% ecycling process starts when waste pickers'isit homes to collect and accmlate end"o#"se and$or end"o#"li#erecyclables on especially designed 'ehicles and sell them to nk

dealers (scrap dealers) who #rther selling them main sal'age market(main scarp market)% rom the scrap market plastic pre"processorsprchase plastic recyclables and then per#orm acti'ities sch aswashing! shredding (ctting)! and #inally con'erting recyclables into

#ec!cling $artici$ants Methods %am$le%ie

Measurement &scale

() =ouseholds each fromarachi Dahore 4ultan=yderabad and 5aisalabad!

CrossSectionalSurvey

'() StructuredEuestionnaire .*$

point Dikert scale0

Scrap dealers.+( arachi +, Dahore -4ultan "slamabad 1u8ran#ala and <5aisalabad0

Survey *+ StructuredEuestionnaire .*$

point Dikert scale0

Plastic Pre$processors .(arachi ( Dahore (5aisalabad 1u8ran#ala Ra#alpindi0

4ultiple CaseStudies

,( StructuredEuestionnaire #ithClose & >penended Euestions.*$point Dikertscale0!

Plastic Recyclers/Converters/ 4oulders.+, arachi +) Dahore (5aisalabad0

4ultiple CaseStudies

,- StructuredEuestionnaire #ithClose & >penended Euestions.*$point Dikertscale0



small granles! which are later procred by plastic

molders$con'erters to prodce new recycled items%*n terms o# the hoseholds! their recycling beha'iors are positi'e(means + ,%-.",%/.) bt their moti'ations are mainly monetary (mean+ ,%./",%/0)% They are aware o# the harm#l conse1ences o# plasticswaste to the en'ironment (means + 0%23"0%42) and brden o# land#ill(mean + ,%.-) bt they are less aware o# the brden o# importing'irgin plastics (mean + /%-5)% *n terms o# social norms! recycling isconsidered more a moral obligation (mean + ,%-/) than a mo'e tosa'e the en'ironment (mean + /%0.)% inally! the opportnity toparticipate in recycling limited by the poor #acilities and initiati'es o#the mnicipals (means + -%/."-%2.)6 hosehold recycling relies

hea'ily on pri'ate waste pickers (mean + ,%-3)%Similar with the hoseholds! scrap dealers are aware o# the harm#lconse1ences o# plastics waste to the en'ironment (means + 0%,0)and brden o# land#ill (mean + 0%4-) bt they are less aware o# thebrden o# importing 'irgin plastics (mean + /%/,)% *n terms o# socialnorms! nlike hoseholds! they do not consider recycling as anobligation (mean + -%-0)% To a high degree it is a money"makingbsiness (mean + ,%00) rather than a way to ser'e the commnity(mean + /%,7)% The opportnity to participate is high becase it doesnot re1ire high in'estment (mean + 0%00) or managerial e8pertise(mean + 0%3/)% Ths! they do not ha'e special e1ipments to sort and

store plastics waste (means + -%/.$/%,.)% 9owe'er! they claim toha'e s##icient e8perience and skills to per#orm recycling tasks (mean+ ,%-.)% inally! they also complained that local go'ernments andmnicipalities rles and reglations do not promote thisen'ironmental #riendly; bsiness (mean + -%-/)%

Plastic pre"processors and scrap dealers share many recyclingattitdes and beha'iors% Pre"processors are aware o# the harm#lconse1ences o# plastics waste to the en'ironment (means + 0%04)and brden o# land#ill (mean + ,%0/) bt they are less aware o# thebrden o# importing 'irgin plastics (mean + /%37)% *n terms o# socialnorms! nlike hoseholds! they do not consider recycling as an

obligation (mean + -%00)% To a high degree it is a money"makingbsiness (mean + ,%.0) rather than a way to ser'e the commnity(mean + /%55)% The opportnity to participate is high becase it doesnot re1ire high in'estment (mean + 0%05) or managerial e8pertise



(mean + 0%43)% <nlike scrap dealers! they do ha'e special

e1ipments to pack and store plastics waste (means + 0%4/$,%..)%9owe'er! they lack special e1ipments #or pre"assortment!assortment! wash! shredding! and granlation (mean + /%/7)% Theyalso claim to ha'e s##icient e8perience and skills to per#orm recyclingtasks (mean + ,%0,)% To a lesser degree than the scrap dealers! theyalso complained that local go'ernments and mnicipalities rles andreglations do not promote this en'ironmental #riendly; bsiness(mean + /%//)%

The recycling attitdes and beha'iors o# plastic molder orcon'erters are slightly di##erent #rom re"processors% Plastics molderand con'erters are aware o# the harm#l conse1ences o# plastics

waste to the en'ironment (means + ,%,0)! brden o# land#ill (mean +0%43) and also the brden o# importing 'irgin plastics (mean + ,%-,)%*n terms o# social norms! similar to hoseholds! they considerrecycling as an obligation (mean + 0%03)6 it is also to a high degree amoney"making bsiness (mean + ,%.-) and a way to ser'e thecommnity (mean + 0%44)% 9owe'er! the opportnity to participate isnot as high as what scrap dealers or pre"processors reportedbecase it re1ires higher in'estment (mean + /%..) and manageriale8pertise (mean + /%.7)% <nlike scrap dealers! they do ha'e speciale1ipments to pack and store plastics waste (means + 0%24$,%7-)%9owe'er! they lack state"o#"the"art technology (mean + /%.3)% Theyalso claim to ha'e s##icient e8perience and skills to per#orm recyclingtasks (mean + ,%5,)% To a lesser degree than the scrap dealers! theyalso complained that local go'ernments and mnicipalities rles andreglations do not promote this en'ironmental #riendly; bsiness(mean + /%-/)%

5. CONCLUSION

This paper disco'ers that all participants! at small 'arying degrees!appear to ha'e positi'e recycling attitdes and beha'iors% Allparticipants are aware o# the negati'e conse1ences o# the dmpingo# plastic waste to the en'ironment and the cost brden o# land#ills%

9owe'er! the awareness o# the conse1ences o# not recycling 'ariesgreatly! depending on the position o# the participants in the spplychain% or e8ample! at #rther pstream! hoseholds are less awareo# the conse1ences o# importing 'irgin plastics6 this is not the case



#or molder at #rther downstream% <n#ortnately! the participants

ha'e not yet created nor e'en tried to increase recycling awareness%*n terms o# moti'ation! monetary appears to be one o# the mostsigni#icant and common moti'ating #actors #or recycling #or allparticipants% Social norms only ha'e a great and positi'e impact onrecycling beha'iors o# hoseholds and plastics molder% *nstead!scrap dealers and plastics re"processor do not consider theirbsinesses as a social obligation% Since the sense o# socialreasonability is not balance! in'estment and e##orts in impro'ing the#lows o# plastics recycling will certainly 'ary along the spply chain%

*n terms o# opportnity to participate! most pri'ate"sector participants(e8cept molder or con'erters) participated in the recycling bsiness

becase it re1ires relati'ely low in'estment and manageriale8pertise% *n order to achie'e pro#itability! molder or con'ertersre1ire relati'ely higher le'el o# in'estment and managerial e8pertise%9owe'er! they are relctant! or rather nable to in'est in especiallynew technology% =opled with nspporti'e local go'ernments! allthese reasons make plastics re"processors! molders! and con'ertersless e##ecti'e and competiti'e%

REFERENCES

[1] Th'gere!" #. (-44,) A >odel o# ecycling Beha'ior! withE'idence #rom ?anish Sorce Separation Programmes%International Journal of Research in Marketing ! @ol% --: pp% -,5"-70%

[2] $%h&e!" T.L. and F'rr(" M.T. II. (-44/) e'erse logistics inplastics recycling! International Journal of Physical Distribution &Logistics Management ! @ol% //! o% 3! pp% 3"-4%%

[3] F(h)e(!" M. and A*+e!" I. (-435) Belie#! attitde! intention andbeha'ior: an introdction to theory and research! Addison"esley Pblishing =ompany%

Abbasi Wong and Lalwani Recycling Attitudes and Behavior ICRM2010 Paper

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