Analysis of factors influencing waste separation behavior of Hanoi citizens with consideration to societal elements

In this empirical study, a questionnaire survey targeting Hanoi City was conducted, gathering 778 samples from the whole metropolitan area. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling, this paper aims to identify the factors influencing waste separation behavior, with special consideration to the momentous shift in the demographic and lifestyle of such a fast-growing city. The living period (or the number of years that a resident stays in the current house) is found to be an element that differentiates the strongest behavior predictors of Hanoi citizens. To be specific, people who have settled down for 10 years or more are more influenced by Trust in Authority, while residents of less than 10 years are most motivated by Opportunity (responsiveness to incentives and convenience). The effect on waste separation behavior by Sense of Community and the other internal factor, namely Ability (the capacity to carry out source separation), were also confirmed. These findings indicate that, besides improving infrastructure, local administrative systems, and waste management systems, it is also important to consider policies focusing on long-term city planning, securing stable living situations to enhance the residents’ sense of community and the social link with community leaders to achieve a higher rate of source separation participation.