Why is there plastic packaging in the natural environment? Understanding the roots of our individual plastic waste management behaviours

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2020-10, Vol.740, p.139985-139985, Article 139985
• Main Authors: Kedzierski, Mikaël, Frère, Dominique, Le Maguer, Gwénaël, Bruzaud, Stéphane
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Environment; Environmental Sciences; Plastic waste; Waste management behaviours; Waste management history
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139985

Plastic waste is now a classic contaminant of the natural environment and the origins of the contamination need to be well understood. The transition from a useful object to a waste product is a fundamental moment that, from the point of view of the scientific literature, remains poorly understood. This review therefore aims to highlight some factors controlling this intentionality, but also those that influence individual waste management behaviours. For this purpose, an original approach involving the study of the amount of knowledge within different disciplinary fields of research has been employed. The results underline that the low direct impact of the consequences on their users of the discarding of plastic packaging seems to be an important reason for individual mismanagement. Furthermore, the modern individual behaviours of the discarding of plastics are often deeply rooted in the past of the populations. Policies to reduce waste disposal come up against strong individual behavioural constraints that limit the proper management of plastic waste. Thus, incivilities, difficulty in enforcing sanctions, or public opposition to changes in waste management are all factors that contribute to the maintenance waste discarding behaviour. The reuse behaviour of objects that have become useless is also historically attested, but has tended to disappear with the rise of the consumer society. This type of behaviour, whose valorisation is a way of reducing plastic waste abandonment behaviour, remains, however, less scientifically studied than other ways such as recycling. [Display omitted] •Intention to discard waste is at the heart of the understanding of plastic pollution.•A cost-benefit balance modulates our individual plastic waste management behaviours.•Underestimation of plastic impacts is one explanation for individual mismanagement of waste.•Landfilling can be linked to the persistence of old waste management behaviour.•The study of waste reuse behaviour could be a source of innovation to improve waste management.