Towards a new theoretical approach for disentangling illegal construction waste disposal: A Hong Kong study

IF 6.6 1区经济学 Q1 URBAN STUDIES

Cities Pub Date : 2025-09-05 DOI:10.1016/j.cities.2025.106427

Wendy M.W. Lee , Weisheng Lu

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Abstract

Illegal disposal, also known as illegal dumping or fly-tipping, refers to the behavior of discarding waste in unauthorized areas. Being criminalized in many economies, illegal dumping undermines wildlife habitats and natural sceneries, as well as poses threats to public health and safety. As in many other regions, illegal dumping in Hong Kong is frequently concerned with the disposal of construction waste in non-designated locations. Nevertheless, theoretical based illegal disposal research specifically focusing on construction waste remains a highly uncharted area. This research aims to identify an innovative theoretical approach to investigating the issue of illegal construction waste disposal with reference to existing theoretical studies in this field and the distinguished industrial context surrounding such environmental crime. Underpinning this research is a mixed-method approach including a review of theories being applied in existing illegal dumping research in conjunction with an exploratory study encompassing semi-structured interviews and questionnaire surveys in Hong Kong. Based on the characteristics of the waste management system and policy framework governing illegal construction waste disposal in Hong Kong, different components of the situational crime prevention theory, their relationships with and strengths over other theories are elaborated. The effects of socio-demographic factors on six specific causal factors relating to four dimensions of the theory were being examined. Our research contributes to the identification of a suitable theory for comprehending illegal construction waste dumping specific to the context of Hong Kong in a systematic and pragmatic manner, which lays an essential foundation for formulating targeted solutions to the issue.

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破解非法建筑废物处置的新理论途径：一项香港研究

非法处置，也称为非法倾倒或乱倾倒，是指在未经许可的地区丢弃废物的行为。非法倾倒在许多经济体被定为犯罪，破坏了野生动物栖息地和自然景观，并对公众健康和安全构成威胁。与许多其他地区一样，在香港非法倾倒建筑废物，通常是指在非指定地点弃置建筑废物。然而，基于理论的非法处置研究，特别是针对建筑垃圾的研究，仍然是一个高度未知的领域。本研究旨在通过参考现有的理论研究，以及与此类环境犯罪相关的特殊产业背景，找出一种创新的理论方法来调查非法建筑废物处置问题。这项研究的基础是采用混合方法，包括回顾现有非法倾倒废物研究的理论，以及在香港进行的一项探索性研究，包括半结构化访谈和问卷调查。根据香港废物管理制度的特点和管制非法建筑废物处置的政策框架，阐述了情境预防犯罪理论的不同组成部分，以及它们与其他理论的关系和优势。目前正在研究社会人口因素对与该理论的四个方面有关的六个具体因果因素的影响。我们的研究有助找到一个适合香港的理论，以系统和务实的方式理解非法建筑废物的倾倒，为制定有针对性的解决方案奠定重要的基础。

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来源期刊

Cities URBAN STUDIES-

CiteScore

11.20

自引率

9.00%

发文量

517

期刊介绍： Cities offers a comprehensive range of articles on all aspects of urban policy. It provides an international and interdisciplinary platform for the exchange of ideas and information between urban planners and policy makers from national and local government, non-government organizations, academia and consultancy. The primary aims of the journal are to analyse and assess past and present urban development and management as a reflection of effective, ineffective and non-existent planning policies; and the promotion of the implementation of appropriate urban policies in both the developed and the developing world.