The right to refuse: Public attitudes and behaviour towards waste in the west of Ireland

Abstract

During the last decade waste management has become one of the most problematic and demanding issues to be addressed in Ireland. Increasing waste production and landfills reaching their capacity are placing unprecedented pressure on the land, and are unsustainable in the long term. However, while surveys of public opinion present a picture of a population increasingly concerned about the quality of the environment and the problem of waste management, there has been an increase in amounts of municipal waste being sent to landfill. Although not unique to Ireland, this gap between values and actions is one that deserves further critical consideration if positive sustainable waste management strategies are to be developed. This paper, based on research being conducted in two case study locations in the west of Ireland, engages with value–action gaps in terms of waste management strategies in Ireland. Based on empirical evidence the paper examines the public's self-reported barriers to more sustainable waste management. The paper argues that some of the greatest barriers to improved waste management are cultural, social and political and that contextual variables such as notions of responsibility and lack of trust in waste regulators contribute greatly to the gap between citizens' attitudes and actions towards waste management.