Sociodemographic factors and feelings of guilt in household waste management in Peruvian households

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to identify the sociodemographic factors that influence the feeling of guilt about recycling household waste in Peruvian families living in Sullana. The rapid generation of waste in urban and rural areas leads to the development of multidisciplinary research to mitigate environmental pollution, which not only affects tourism but also the quality of life of the population. The study design was non-experimental, descriptive, causal, and explanatory. The research approach was quantitative. The instrument was validated (Cronbach's alpha = 0.932), and it was observed that age, employment status, educational level, income, and professional career were significantly related (p<0.05) to the feeling of guilt for recycling. There is a high level of guilt about recycling household waste related to an attitude of success and social norms, and a mild level related to an attitude of failure. The sociodemographic profile of Peruvian families living in Sullana is characterized by an average age of 35 years, employment, secondary, technical, and higher education, as well as income between S/500 and 1500 soles and living in a family nucleus composed of 3-5 people. These findings are important for the elaboration of public policies in the environmental management of solid waste and in the academic sphere to raise awareness among the different actors to mitigate climate change and contribute to the sustainability of natural resources. It is recommended to apply compensatory incentives to families to achieve positive changes in household waste management.