The governance mechanism of household waste sorting in residential communities in China: Insights from Yuelu, Changsha

Abstract

<p>Waste sorting mechanisms in residential communities play a key role in informing a sustainable, collaborative governance model for household waste management. Using a questionnaire survey, we found that in Changsha, one of the major cities in China, residents who were satisfied with management measures by the property companies had a higher willingness to participate in waste sorting and join rewarding/charging schemes. Semi-structured interviews, however, indicated that there was a lack of effective cooperation from planning to implementation of waste sorting mechanisms among residents, property companies and the government. Poor execution, the hierarchy between different stakeholders, and unsolid cooperation systems were the key factors hindering the promotion of waste sorting. We therefore call for a co-governance network engaging different stakeholders to maximize their common interest, develop infrastructure, accrue social capital as led by devoted residents, and ultimately increase the effectiveness of household waste sorting policy at the community and individual levels.</p>