Determinants of University Students' Waste Management Behavior: A Theory of Planned Behavior Approach at an Indonesian Engineering Faculty

Effective waste management behavior among university students is essential to supporting sustainable campuses, yet many institutions continue to face challenges with littering, low recycling participation, and inadequate environmental responsibility. This study investigates the factors influencing students' waste management behavior at the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia, using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as the analytical framework. The research expands the original descriptive findings by positioning attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control as the key predictors shaping students’ waste management intentions and behaviors. A quantitative survey design was employed, involving structured questionnaires distributed to students across multiple study programs. The survey measured students’ knowledge, environmental attitudes, sense of responsibility, facility availability, habits, and perceived barriers. Descriptive statistical analysis revealed high levels of environmental expertise and generally positive attitudes toward waste management; however, inconsistencies emerged between attitudes and actual behavior. Students reported limited disposal facilities, low supervision, and ineffective institutional norms, which weakened subjective norms and perceived control over waste-related actions. Moreover, habitual practices and environmental awareness were found to play an important supporting role, even though they did not fully translate into consistent waste-sorting or recycling behaviors. The study concludes that waste management behavior among engineering students is shaped not only by knowledge, but also by normative pressures, institutional support, and perceived ease of action—core TPB components. Strengthening environmental policies, improving facilities, and reinforcing collective norms are recommended to enhance pro-environmental behavior on campus.