Governmental response to public complaints about solid waste sorting in China: Evidence from quasi-natural experiments

Mandatory Domestic Waste Classification (MDWC) is an effective strategy for alleviating the urban waste crisis. This paper integrates public online petition text data and urban panel data, employing the synthetic control method to evaluate the impact of MDWC policy on government response to Public Complaints about Solid Waste Sorting (PCSWS) from the perspective of policy pressure. By analyzing data from the Mayor's Message Boards of 11 Chinese cities between 2015 and 2022, the research results indicate that the MDWC policy significantly improved both the speed and quality of government responses to PCSWS. However, the sustainability of these effects has diminished over time. Assessing the impact of the MDWC policy on government responses to PCSWS not only enhances government responsiveness but also promotes positive interaction between the government and the public. Furthermore, enhancing governmental environmental regulation and governance capacity can play a positive role. Therefore, the government should maintain policy oversight following the policy implementation by continuously mobilizing various resources and regulatory measures to ensure policy sustainability and stability. This paper provides an empirical basis for improving the long-term regulatory mechanism of public waste sorting. It holds a significant reference value for promoting the scientific evaluation of government response capabilities in urban environmental governance.