The social Waste Issue, symptoms of awareness and responsibility: A Thematical Analysis of Social Relations to Waste Management in Sweden

Sammanfattning

The growing accumulation and mismanagement of waste disrupt the ecological systems that sustain human existence, leaving environmental burdens for future generations. This situation highlights the need for circular approaches such as zero-waste management, where waste is treated as a resource rather than discarded. Studying social waste relations in Sweden is particularly relevant, given the country’s high levels of consumption and its challenges in meeting recycling targets. Understanding the perceptions that shape waste behavior and the barriers that influence. Waste management practices is therefore essential for developing more circular responses to the waste issue. The findings of this study suggest that household waste relations, shaped by varying levels of awareness, interact with the broader waste problem through experiences of systemic obstacles and uncertainty, illustrating aspects of the Value-action gap between pro-environmental attitudes and everyday waste practices. These are exemplified by respondents’ frustrations with extensive packaging and incineration practices. Such structural conditions influence how respondents perceive their responsibility as consumers, often positioning them as partially unaware actors within a broader waste system. With limited insight into the structural processes shaping waste generation and management, respondents tend to respond in two ways: either expressing hopeful trust in existing waste systems or articulating feelings of resignation and mistrust. This study contributes to environmental sociology by examining how awareness and estrangement shape waste relations in Sweden, while highlighting the importance of transparency and public empowerment in efforts to strengthen circular waste management practices.