# Understanding Waste Sorting Practices in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods: An Analysis of Barriers and Drivers through the COM-B Model

Nawel Fellah-Dehiri, Sandrine Raffin, Lina Bachiri

<figure><img src="image_1.png" /></figure>

## To cite this version:

Nawel Fellah-Dehiri, Sandrine Raffin, Lina Bachiri. Understanding Waste Sorting Practices in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods: An Analysis of Barriers and Drivers through the COM-B Model. The 9th World Social Marketing Conference, ESMA- European Social Marketing Association, Nov 2025, Alicante, Spain. hal-05342459

HAL Id: hal-05342459

https://hal.science/hal-05342459v1

Submitted on 2 Nov 2025

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access
archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci-
entific research documents, whether they are pub-
lished or not. The documents may come from
teaching and research institutions in France or
abroad, or from public or private research centers.

L'archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est
destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents
scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non,
émanant des établissements d'enseignement et de
recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires
publics ou privés.

<figure><img src="image_2.png" /></figure>

Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
# Understanding Waste Sorting Practices in Disadvantaged Neighborhoods: An Analysis of Barriers and Drivers through the COM-B Model

**Nawel FELLAH-DEHIRI**

AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, UMR PSAE Research Laboratory
[nawel.fellah-dehiri@agroparistech.fr](mailto:nawel.fellah-dehiri@agroparistech.fr)

**Sandrine RAFFIN**

LinkUP Factory
[sandrine.raffin@linkupfactory.com](mailto:sandrine.raffin@linkupfactory.com)

**Lina BACHIRI**

LinkUP Factory
[lina.bachiri@linkupfactory.com](mailto:lina.bachiri@linkupfactory.com)

## Abstract

Recycling represents a critical economic and environmental issue, and key stakeholders—including the European Union and the World Bank—have identified increasing recycling rates as a strategic priority for the coming years. Designing effective recycling promotion strategies requires a deeper understanding of the determinants of recycling behavior. In this context, we define recycling as encompassing both individuals’ intentions and behaviors related to waste sorting.

Geiger et al. (2019) highlight that recycling behavior is influenced by both individual and contextual factors. Among the individual factors, behavior-specific elements such as self-identity as a recycler, personal recycling norms, past recycling behavior, and perceived behavioral control have been shown to play significant roles (Taufik, Bolderdijk, & Steg, 2016; Tabernero, Hernández, Cuadrado, Luque, & Pereira, 2015). However, contextual factors have received relatively little attention in the literature. Yet, variables such as housing type, place attachment, and the distinction between collective and individual housing have been found to be particularly predictive of recycling behavior (Grassias & Piris, 2023; 2024; Varotto & Spagnolli, 2017).

These various studies reflect a strong academic interest in understanding the determinants of recycling behavior. While they have shed valuable light on recycling issues, little is still known about waste-sorting behavior in disadvantaged neighborhoods—particularly in Priority Urban
Neighborhoods (QPV)<fnref n="1" />. QPV (Quartier Prioritaire de la Ville) are defined by the French government as areas characterized by cumulative socio-economic difficulties, including high unemployment rates, low income levels. QPVs present a convergence of factors that are unfavorable to recycling. Waste sorting is particularly complex in these contexts and is often perceived by residents as a “wicked problem” (Domegan et al., 2017).

This research is part of the broader ESA social marketing initiative “Together, Let’s Care for the Future”, supported at both private company, national organization. This action-research is grounded in the field of social marketing (Lee & Kotler, 2016). It adopts an exploratory qualitative approach aimed at understanding the representations, barriers, and enablers associated with waste sorting and management practices in QPVs. We conducted two focus groups in two different cities, bringing together a total of 21 participants. In order to identify effective levers for encouraging behavior change in household waste sorting, we employed the COM-B theoretical model (Michie, van Stralen & West, 2011; Michie et al., 2014). This framework provides an integrated understanding of the components necessary for behavior change—**Capability**, **Opportunity**, and **Motivation**. Data from the focus groups were analyzed through the lens of the COM-B model to uncover specific barriers and drivers relevant to these communities, which are often distanced from mainstream ecological practices.

Our findings reveal several barriers to recycling behavior. In terms of **capability**, residents reported unclear instructions, insufficient information, and physical constraints (e.g., cramped living spaces, lack of appropriate bins). **Opportunities** were limited by degraded environments, irregular waste collection services, and unequal access to communication. Finally, **motivation** was hindered by the perceived complexity of sorting, growing disinterest, and the absence of supportive social norms.

<footnote n="1">¹ Quartiers Prioritaires de la Ville (QPV)</footnote>
Cialdini, R. B. (2003). *Crafting normative messages to protect the environment*. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12(4), 105–109.

D'Amato, A., Mancinelli, S., & Zoli, M. (2016). Complementarity vs substitutability in waste management behaviors. *Ecological Economics*, 123, 84–94.

Domegan, C., McHugh, P., Devaney, M., Duane, S., Hogan, M., Broome, B. J., ... & Piwowarczyk, J. (2016). Systems-thinking social marketing: conceptual extensions and empirical investigations. *Journal of Marketing Management*, 32(11-12), 1123-1144.

Geiger, J. L., Steg, L., Van Der Werff, E., & Ünal, A. B. (2019). A meta-analysis of factors related to recycling. *Journal of environmental psychology*, 64, 78-97.

Grassias, J. D., & Piris, Y. (2023, July). Food Waste Sorting: Exploring the Role of Collective Housing and Place Attachment. In *Proceedings of Academy of Marketing 2023 Annual Conference and Doctoral Colloquium: From Revolution to Revolutions*.

Grassias, J. D., & Piris, Y. (2024, May). The Contribution of Thinking Modes to Better Understand the Impact of Place on Sorting Behavior: An Abstract. In *2024 Academy of Marketing Science® Annual Conference*.

Kaiser, F., & Fuhrer, U. (2003). Ecological behavior's dependency on different forms of knowledge. *Applied Psychology*, 52(4), 598–613.

Kaza, S., Yao, L., Bhada-Tata, P., & Van Woerden, F. (2018). *What a waste 2.0: a global snapshot of solid waste management to 2050*. World Bank Publications.

Keizer, K., & Schultz, P. W. (2012). Social norms and pro-environmental behavior. In L. Steg, A. E. van den Berg, J. M. de Groot, L. Steg, A. E. van den Berg, & J. M. de Groot (Eds.). *Environmental psychology: An introduction* (pp. 153–163). BPS Blackwell.

Krueger, R. A., & Casey, M. A. (2015). *Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research* (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Tabernero, C., & Hernández, B. (2011). Self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation guiding environmental behavior. *Environment and Behavior*, 43(5), 658–675.

Taufik, D., Bolderdijk, J. W., & Steg, L. (2016). Going green? The relative importance of feelings over calculation in driving environmental intent in The Netherlands and the United States. *Energy Research and Social Science*, 22, 52–62.

Timmermans, S., & Tavory, I. (2012). Theory Construction in Qualitative Research: From Grounded Theory to Abductive Analysis. *Sociological Theory*, 30(3), 167–186.

Varotto, A., & Spagnolli, A. (2017). Psychological strategies to promote household re-cycling. A systematic review with meta-analysis of validated field interventions. *Journal of Environmental Psychology*, 51, 168–188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2017.03.011.

Michie, S., Atkins, L., & West, R. (2014). *The Behaviour Change Wheel: A Guide to Designing Interventions*. Silverback Publishing.

Michie, S., van Stralen, M. M., & West, R. (2011). *The behaviour change wheel: A new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions*. Implementation Science, 6(42). https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-6-42