DETERMINANTS OF CONSUMER ATTITUDES AND WILLINGNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN PLASTIC RECYCLING IN MTHATHA

This study examined the determinants of consumers’ attitudes and willingness to participate in plastic recycling activities in Mthatha. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), it integrated recycling infrastructure and economic incentives to extend behavioural understanding in developing economies. A positivist, quantitative research design was employed. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire from 370 residents and informal recyclers, selected through simple random sampling. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using SmartPLS 4 tested the hypothesised relationships among constructs. Reliability and validity were verified through Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted. All five hypotheses were supported with each having a significant positive effect on Attitude towards Plastic Recycling. Attitude strongly influenced Willingness to confirming its mediating role. The model explained 71.8 per cent of the variance in willingness. Enhancing environmental education, improving recycling infrastructure, and introducing financial incentives can increase participation in plastic recycling. Local governments should design integrated awareness and infrastructure programmes that mobilise community engagement. This research extends TPB by empirically validating the combined influence of psychological, social, and infrastructural factors in a small-town developing-country context contributing both theoretical and policy insights into pro-environmental consumer behaviour in Africa.