Circular economy in education: Determinants of school recycling intentions and behaviors for inorganic waste

Research on recycling intentions and behaviors in educational contexts, particularly at the primary education level, remains underexplored. This study investigates the determinants of recycling intentions and behaviors, focusing on inorganic waste management in primary schools, using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the circular economy framework. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from principals and teachers representing 401 public primary schools across Central Java, Indonesia. The results reveal that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly influence recycling intentions, while perceived behavioral control, intentions, pressures, enablers, and barriers significantly affect recycling behaviors. However, barriers such as limited resources and inadequate technical knowledge hinder the effective translation of intentions into actual behaviors. These findings underscore the critical role of school leadership, environmental attitudes, and external pressures in fostering sustainable recycling behaviors in schools. • School leadership and norms drive recycling intent in primary education settings • Perceived behavioral control predicts both recycling intentions and actual behaviors • Barriers like limited resources hinder recycling actions despite strong intentions • Study extends TPB with pressures, enablers, and barriers in school waste recycling