The role of recycling intention and environmental knowledge in waste recycling behavior: Moderating effects of digital nudging and infrastructure accessibility

The purpose of the study is to quantify the moderating role of digital nudging and infrastructure accessibility to understand the intention-behavior gap on household recycling. Based on the TPB, VBN theory and Nudge Theory; this article investigates the impact of recycling intention (RI) and environmental knowledge (EK) on household urban recycling behavior (RB). The model was tested using (PLS-SEM) analysis based on data provided by 277 respondents. The results indicated that recycling intention is the best predictor of recycling behavior and environmental knowledge holds a medium, yet positive predictive value. Digital nudging greatly reinforces the intention-behavior gap, app reminders, gamification and digital prompts enhance the extent to which recycling intentions are accomplished over behavior. Availability of infrastructure, on the other hand, has little moderating role in this relationship. A fact which indicates that transport structures not circumstances might not really very critical enough to encourage healthy behavior without the provision of the cues to action. The research theoretically builds upon existing models of pro-environmental behaviors by integrating stimuli based on digital nudging and structural factors of the intention–behavior model that helps to overcome digital nudging limitations. The results empirically depicts that policy makers as well as cities, or advocates for sustainability, need to take the desirable infrastructure alongside a digital nudge and digital accompaniment.