What Influences Farmers’ Participation in Recycling Waste Agricultural Plastic Film? A Study Based on the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior

Recycling residual plastic film is an important measure to prevent plastic pollution and achieve farmland sustainability, with farmers’ participation being the key. To understand the determinants of farmers’ participation in the recycling of residual plastic film, this study developed an extended TPB framework by introducing moral norm and responsibility attribution as additional explanatory constructs. Based on questionnaire responses from 429 cotton farmers in southern Xinjiang, China, the proposed relationships were examined through structural equation modeling. The empirical results indicated that recycling intentions were mainly determined by attitudes and perceived behavioral control, and responsibility attribution had a positive effect on subjective norm. Furthermore, the influence of moral norm served as a minor mediating factor in the connection between subjective norms and intentions to recycle. These findings not only deepen the understanding of the behavioral mechanisms underlying residual film recovery, but also provide policy-relevant insights for strengthening government efforts to address plastic film pollution.