Conceptualizing Barriers to Individual Recycling: A Qualitative Study with Multiple Stakeholders in Türkiye

Abstract

Increasing individual recycling rates is critical to achieving expected recycling targets. According to the social marketing approach promoting individual recycling behavior requires exploring, measuring, and managing the barriers that may deter individuals from recycling in a specific region. Although previous studies list some barriers, these barriers are likely to vary across studies, and clear conceptualizations are mostly missing. This study aims to explore and conceptualize the barriers to set a basis for future operationalization and systematic measurement. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with municipality authorities, representatives of leading environmental NGOs, and consumers in T & uuml;rkiye. A total of 54 different first-level barriers were identified, and then first-level barriers were grouped thematically, revealing 20 second-level barriers, which are considered as personal, structural, social, or mediating barriers. Conceptual definitions for 20 second-level barriers are provided. The study also includes basic statistics regarding prominent barriers for different target groups.