Assessment of factors influencing the performance of solid waste recycling programs

Municipal solid waste management (SWM) problems present a serious challenge to local government authorities (LGAs) in developing countries. The effective way to reduce this tremendous issue is to integreate waste recycling systems into existing and future SWM. Understanding factors influencing recycling performance is the key to achieving sustainable waste management. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the performance of SWM relating to solid waste recycling covering a total of 120 solid waste recycling programs located in different urban areas of Thailand. The indicators involving efficiency, effectiveness and service ratio were used for the assessment of recycling performance using statistical analysis methods. Influencing factors encompassing technical, economic and financial, and institutional aspects were identified for three types of recycling programs (school garbage bank, community garbage bank, and composting facility). The results suggest that common significant factors are perception of administrator awareness of SWM problems, and source separation. In terms of school garbage banks, the provision of monetary incentive including interest and compensatory goods for recycling members, transportation cost, and low investment costs significantly affect the performance. Provision of loans, managing the program as a cooperative organization, and provision of door-to-door service correlate with better performance by community garbage banks. For composting facilities, provision of free organic waste bins and cooperation with NGOs correlate with a higher rate of waste diversion. The findings also propose implications for enhancing the performance of recycling systems through a number of measures including provision of monetary incentive, tax incentives, subsidizations, information dissemination, awareness campaigns, training, technical assistance, staff exchanges, and networking with voluntary organizations—which should be formulated with respect to building capacity of development partners, responding to poor recycling performance, and focusing on significant influencing factors.