This paper contributes to the literature on institutional trust by examining the relationship between household waste recycling behaviour and two key dimensions of local governance: trust in municipal governments and the perceived quality of the municipal public services. Using data from the Italian National Statistical Office’s Aspects of Daily Life survey (2018–2021), we investigate whether higher levels of trust in local institutions and more positive evaluations of the services provided are associated with greater engagement in recycling practices. We use non-linear regression models and carry out robustness checks to test the consistency of the results. The findings reveal a positive and statistically significant correlation between trust in municipal governments and recycling behaviour, whereas trust in other public institutions — such as the European Parliament, the national Parliament, and regional governments — shows no significant association. These associations are more pronounced in Northern Italy compared to Central and Southern Italy, and in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. The perceived quality of the municipal public services also highlights a consistent positive correlation with recycling behaviour.

Trust in municipal government and recycling behaviour

Maria Carmela Aprile;Damiano Fiorillo
2025-01-01

Abstract

This paper contributes to the literature on institutional trust by examining the relationship between household waste recycling behaviour and two key dimensions of local governance: trust in municipal governments and the perceived quality of the municipal public services. Using data from the Italian National Statistical Office’s Aspects of Daily Life survey (2018–2021), we investigate whether higher levels of trust in local institutions and more positive evaluations of the services provided are associated with greater engagement in recycling practices. We use non-linear regression models and carry out robustness checks to test the consistency of the results. The findings reveal a positive and statistically significant correlation between trust in municipal governments and recycling behaviour, whereas trust in other public institutions — such as the European Parliament, the national Parliament, and regional governments — shows no significant association. These associations are more pronounced in Northern Italy compared to Central and Southern Italy, and in the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. The perceived quality of the municipal public services also highlights a consistent positive correlation with recycling behaviour.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11367/150518
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