Impact of Waste Picker and Recycling Applications as Dimension of Perceived Behavioural Control on Recycling Intention

Separating household waste is a crucial step in the recycling process that relies on personal motivation. Enhancing recycling intentions is particularly important in underdeveloped nations where the role of waste pickers significantly influences the separation efforts. A relevant area for study is the availability of recycling applications which can support and simplify waste separation efforts. The presence of waste pickers and the availability of recycling applications should be considered critical factors when assessing Perceived Behavioural Control (PBC), along with factors such as infrastructure availability and recycling costs. These factors are integrated into the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model which includes key components such as attitude toward recycling, subjective and moral norms, PBC, as well as economic incentives. Therefore, this study aimed to show that PBC functioned as a second-order variable influencing the intention to recycle. Data were collected from 122 respondents in the Greater Jakarta area of Indonesia and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that moral norms and attitudes toward recycling were the primary motivators for households to engage in waste management and recycling. However, PBC tended to discourage recycling intentions due to variables such as waste pickers, recycling applications, costs, and infrastructure availability. These results suggested that policymakers should reconsider the role of waste pickers in fostering citizen’s ability to develop recycling habits. Further publications were recommended to explore additional factors such as public perceptions of government enforcement and the effectiveness of industry and appeals to better understand recycling and waste management practices in Indonesia.