Recycling on the local level in Thailand: Influence of trust, norms and social networks

Sammanfattning: Waste management is an important facet of sustainable development, as improper waste disposal will lead to various negative environmental and health impacts. Recycling has been found to be a useful way to manage waste materials and reduce the negative impacts of waste accumulation. In Thailand, attempts to increase recycling are being hindered by lack of public participation. The aim of this study is to find out how social aspects, namely trust, social norms and social networks influence recycling behaviour. To answer this question, a literature review is conducted to analyse the role of these aspects in relation to recycling. The theoretical framework guiding the analysis consists of a combination of social capital and social psychology theories. The results show that each of the social aspects under study has distinct impacts on recycling behaviour. Institutional trust is linked to the perceived efficiency of the service and the ability of the public to contribute to solving problems, and lack of trust in institutions is found to create disincentives for participation. Social norms among the public influence recycling by encouraging or discouraging certain behaviour based on what other community members are doing, whether it be recycling or not recycling. Meanwhile, social networks are important for information sharing and providing an opportunity to work together for community goals, including proper waste management. These findings have implications to how participation in recycling behaviour can be increased in the future.