The Chinese government is promoting a waste classification policy to solve the increasingly serious issue of cities being besieged by waste. Only few studies investigate whether residents’ understanding of garbage classification policy has an impact on their garbage classification behaviour and the nature of such impact. The purposes of this study are twofold: first, to explore conceptually the mechanism behind any moderating effects of perceived policy effectiveness (PPE) on waste classification and, second, to examine empirically if and how PPE influences the relationships between attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SN), perceived behaviour control (PBC), awareness of consequence (AC) and waste classification intention (WCI). The conceptual model of the study is developed by combining insights from the theory of planned behaviour, norm activation theory and value–belief–norm theory. A total of 351 questionnaires were administered in person to households in Bengbu, China. The results based on structural equation modelling with partial least squares show that PPE negatively moderates the relationship between AC and WCI. AC is more strongly related with the intention to classify waste when PPE is weaker. Likewise, when PPE is higher, people’s awareness of consequences becomes less important for WCI. The findings have significant implications in policymakers’ developing guidelines and offer a framework for implementing more effective waste classification policy.

随着我国城市化进程和人民生活水平的逐步提高,城市生活垃圾产生量逐年递增,垃圾围城现象日趋严峻.有效的垃圾分类管理,能够最大限度地实现生活废弃资源利用,减少垃圾处置数量,改善居民生存环境.上海市结合国内外垃圾分类经验,注重立法先行、政府重视、顶层设计、全民发动、全程分类,已取得阶段性成果,但也存在一些网络舆情、定时定点分类操作、网点运营和数据融合等亟需解决的问题和矛盾.上海市在垃圾分类工作的成绩和不足,可为长三角地区的垃圾分类工作提供经验和建议.