Measuring the effect of a program of waste separation at source in Da Nang City, Vietnam

This study focused on the waste separation behavior of households in areas with a waste separation at source (WSS) program to understand the effect of the program and identify suggestions for improving the participation rate. A questionnaire survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 402 households in Da Nang City, Vietnam. To measure the effect of the WSS program on waste separation behavior, the authors conducted a comparison between waste separation behavior before and after implementing the program. The authors developed a model of waste separation behavior to clarify the factors. The differences in participation rates and influencing factors as they related to respondents’ level of involvement in the WSS program were also examined by Chi-squared test and ANOVA. The participation rate before the WSS program was 70.0% for plastic bottles, 70.1% for cardboard, and 71.4% for aluminum cans. After the WSS program, these rates significantly increased by 14.2% for plastic bottles, 12.6% for cardboard, and 12.3% for aluminum cans. Through behavior modeling, the factors influencing waste separation behavior were clarified. The attendance of respondents at an explanatory meeting and the recognition of the leaflets would positively promote the participation rate and the factors influencing waste separation behavior.