Investigating Residents' Adoption of a Recycling Application and Acceptance of Corporate Sponsorship: A Case Study of New Jersey

Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) have created new opportunities to deliver recycling education. This study uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology-2 (UTAUT-2)modelto inspect primary factorsimpactingU.S. residents'intentionto usearecycling application called "Recycle Coach." The data from an online survey of 1,215 app users located in New Jersey is analyzed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Results demonstrate that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, and habit have a positive and significant effect on the intention to use recycling apps. The intention to use apps also has a positive and significant effect on the intention to recycle. The results support the use of ICT as a tool for building recycling habits. The study also inspected the funding mechanisms of Recycle Coach and various aspects of integrating corporate sponsorship in their business model. The results indicate that a majority of respondents accept app sponsorship. However, according to the results of the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), levels of sponsorship differ significantly depending on the sponsor's method of communication. Users negatively respond to seeing video ads within the app interface, whereas text notes and logos/banners representing the sponsor are more tolerable. Users also prefer that the sponsor is congruent with the sustainable mission and vision of Recycle Coach and are likely to have a more positive attitude towards the company sponsoring the app. Recommendations for solid waste management practitioners, app developers and marketers are discussed.