Determinants of paper packaging waste: evidence across 28 EU countries

IF 2.7 4区环境科学与生态学 Q3 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management Pub Date : 2025-03-12 DOI:10.1007/s10163-025-02195-7

Vasilis Nikou, Eleni Sardianou

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Abstract

Paper and cardboard packaging waste (PW) constitutes a significant component of municipal waste in the EU and is closely linked to issues of resource conservation and climate change. Recycling PW reduces the demand for virgin materials, thereby conserving natural resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction and production of virgin materials. Furthermore, PW recycling can impact the social and economic well-being of communities. This study investigates the confluence of income inequalities, digital consumption, materialism, and social protection, and their nexus with paper waste streams in a sample of 28 EU countries from the period of 2000 to 2020, using various statistical methods. Countries with higher levels of material consumption tend to have lower levels of PW recycling, while increased e-commerce activity and income concentration among a few individuals are robustly associated with decreased recycling performance. Conversely, social protection expenditures are positively correlated with PW recycling in both the short-and long-run.

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纸包装废弃物的决定因素：来自28个欧盟国家的证据

纸和纸板包装废物（PW）是欧盟城市废物的重要组成部分，与资源保护和气候变化问题密切相关。PW的回收利用减少了对原始材料的需求，从而节约了自然资源，减少了与原始材料的提取和生产相关的温室气体排放。此外，废物循环利用可以影响社区的社会和经济福祉。本研究以2000年至2020年28个欧盟国家为样本，使用各种统计方法，调查了收入不平等、数字消费、物质主义和社会保护的融合，以及它们与废纸流的关系。材料消费水平较高的国家往往有较低的PW回收水平，而电子商务活动的增加和少数人的收入集中与回收绩效的下降密切相关。相反，无论从短期还是长期来看，社会保障支出都与废纸回收呈正相关。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management 环境科学-环境科学

CiteScore

5.30

自引率

16.10%

发文量

205

审稿时长

4.8 months

期刊介绍： The Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management has a twofold focus: research in technical, political, and environmental problems of material cycles and waste management; and information that contributes to the development of an interdisciplinary science of material cycles and waste management. Its aim is to develop solutions and prescriptions for material cycles. The journal publishes original articles, reviews, and invited papers from a wide range of disciplines related to material cycles and waste management. The journal is published in cooperation with the Japan Society of Material Cycles and Waste Management (JSMCWM) and the Korea Society of Waste Management (KSWM).