Assessing the influence of solid waste knowledge and concern on pro-environmental action in South Africa: implications for waste management and circular economy strategies

This study investigates public awareness, concern, personal pro-environmental norms, and household recycling behavior in South Africa using data from the 2022 and 2024 rounds of the South African Social Attitudes Survey. The findings indicate that recycling behavior remains limited, with approximately 30% reporting that they “always” or “often” recycle. Regression analyses show that environmental knowledge and waste-specific concern are positively associated with recycling behavior, although these relationships explain only a modest proportion of the variation in behavior. Environmental knowledge shows a relatively stronger association, while concern plays a more limited role once knowledge is accounted for, suggesting that awareness of recycling is an important, but not sufficient, influence on action. The association between personal pro-environmental norms and recycling behavior is weak and inconsistent across survey years, indicating a context-dependent role. The results highlight a persistent gap between environmental awareness and consistent pro-environmental behavior. In the South African context, this gap is shaped not only by behavioral factors but also by structural constraints, including uneven access to waste collection services, variability in municipal infrastructure, and differences in service delivery capacity across municipalities. The findings provide support for the Theory of Planned Behavior and Value-Belief-Norm frameworks, while also showing that psychological drivers such as knowledge, concern, and norms are mediated by real-world conditions that influence perceived behavioral control and the translation of environmental values into action. Improving recycling outcomes in South Africa requires an integrated approach that combines behavioral interventions, such as strengthening environmental literacy and reinforcing pro-environmental norms, with systemic improvements in waste management infrastructure and service delivery.