Key determinants of waste separation intention among Students on campus

Abstract

This study aims to identify the key determinants of waste separation intention among the students in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). As reported in World Bank Report, generation of global municipal solid waste are approximately 1.3 billion tonnes per year, and it will increase approximately 2.2 billion tonnes per year by 2025. Similar trend in Malaysia which approximately eight million tonnes of municipal solid waste is produced daily. Upward trend of the solid waste generated is contributed by various forces including growth, increase of population, residents attitude and rapid urbanisation in the country. Considering the negative impacts from increase of waste generated in the country such as environmental degradation, separate the waste at its source can increase recycling rate and hence reduce waste generation. In the 11th Malaysia Plan, the government has urged the nation to actively practice waste separation. Understanding the determinants influencing waste separation behaviour can lead to effective waste reduction among the targeted group. This study adopted the Theory of Planned Behaviour as the fundamental framework. The key determinants of waste separation behaviour are attitude, subjectives norm, and perceived behavioural control. An elicitation survey has been conducted to explore the students's beliefs relative to the waste separation behaviour. The empirical data collected were analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) assisted by SmartPLS software. The result shows that only determinants are significant towards intention which are attitude and Perceived Behavioural Control while Subjective Norm is not. The results of the study is significance to the organisation as identification of the determinants that influence waste separation intention contributes to a more focused waste separation programme that allign to Malaysia's objective towards a sustainable developing country.