The hidden dynamics of household waste separation: An anthropological analysis of user commitment, barriers, and the gaps between a waste system and its users

The implementation of household waste separation in the European Union (EU) faces challenges, and argued less successful than expected. This article reports on an anthropological case study in five apartment buildings in the Copenhagen area, Denmark, analyzing the relationship between the local municipal waste system and its users. The results reveal that the implementation of increased source separation cannot rely solely on value appeals (as...