Exploring recycling behaviours and infuencing factors among university residential hall students in Hong Kong

This study adopted a mixed-method approach to explore recycling behaviours of students residing in university residential halls in Hong Kong and investigate factors that either promote or hinder these behaviours. Utilising the protection motivation theory, the study surveyed 319 undergraduate students, with ten interested participants took part in three focus groups in 2022. The findings suggest that students generally aligned with an environmental worldview reflective of the dominant social paradigm(DSP), emphasising economic growth and individualism over sustainability and conservation. Female students were notably found to exhibit a higher DSP than their male counterparts. Additionally, students’ environmental identity was not strong, revealing that their connection to nature is more conceptual than physical. Moreover, the study identified misinformation about recycling and self-identification with the environment as factors that hinder recycling behaviours. The implications for enhancing university students’ recycling behaviour are discussed, and insights for universities’ practices are offered.