Social Obstacles to Waste Management: The Solid Waste Problem in the Perception of Different Social Actors

Bernd Martens

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DOI: 10.2190/NHYF-BMYU-9DMV-XEQB

Abstract

Seven hundred and forty-two people (experts and opinion leaders) were asked about their assessments and preferences concerning waste management, especially about different strategies for source reduction in Germany. the data were collected by a social survey in 1992. the respondents belong to six different social actor groups. Multivariate methods (discriminant analysis and correspondence analysis) were primarily used to analyze the data. the results exhibit a widespread but systematic dispersion of opinions among the different social actors. These differences are already visible with regard to features of "the" solid waste crisis. the different perspectives of the situation are partially connected with certain proposed strategies for avoiding waste. These social definitions of the situation and proposed strategies illustrate some social obstacles to waste management in Germany.

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