Behavioral drivers of waste cooking oil recycling in China’s catering industry: An economic perspective

Abstract

Under the global sustainable development goals, biodiesel plays a crucial role in the energy transition; however, its growth is constrained by a limited availability of raw materials. Waste cooking oil from the catering industry serves as a high-quality resource for biodiesel production, yet its recovery remains inefficient. A mixed-method survey was conducted to investigate the factors influencing waste cooking oil recovery among catering workers in Guangdong Province, China. The analysis applied an extended Theory of Planned Behavior, and a two-stage approach was adopted for the data. First, structural equation modeling was used to identify the causal relationships influencing recycling practices. Subsequently, Bayesian network analysis was employed to validate these findings and explore complex behavioral patterns. Results from the structural equation modeling revealed that administrative factors and subjective norms directly and significantly impact both intention and behavior, while behavior control and management factors influence behavior more indirectly by primarily shaping intentions. The introduction of the Bayesian network analysis confirmed these pathways and further identified moral attitude as another critical determinant that should be considered. The scenario simulation results provide deeper reference perspectives, showing that economic factors are not the only determinants of environmental protection. Overall, the study concludes that administrative deficiencies and incomplete awareness, including moral attitudes, may be key barriers to current recycling efforts. These findings provide valuable insights for understanding the mechanisms influencing waste cooking oil recycling behavior, offering an evidence-based path to effectively promoting the recycling of waste cooking oil.