Recycling behaviour in higher education institutions: a systematic literature review

Purpose of the paper: This paper aims to provide a systematic literature review on recycling behaviours in higher education institutions to gather and synthesise the extant knowledge on this topic into a comprehensive framework, in line with the premise that colleges and universities have the moral responsibility to educate people for a better and more sustainable future. More specifically, this study provides a basic understanding of the research topic and identifies the factors affecting recycling intentions/behaviours in higher education institutions. Methodology: A systematic literature review of existing research is conducted. A total of 64 journal articles published between 1995 and 2019 are analysed in five steps: obtaining a basic understanding, coding, categorisation, comparison and further analysis. Findings: This study identifies environmental concern, attitudes towards recycling, social norms, university environmental policy and availability of recycling facilities at higher education institutions as the factors affecting recycling intentions/behaviours in higher education institutions. Theoretical and practical implications: Scholars could use this paper as a reference to systematise knowledge on recycling behaviour in the higher education context and further advance knowledge on this topic by identifying specific research areas that could be theoretically and empirically investigated. University managers could use the findings of this study as a basis for designing behavioural intervention programs in their institutions. Originality of the paper: Previous research focuses on recycling in the home or workplace environments. No systematic literature review on recycling behaviours in the higher education setting has previously been undertaken, despite the key role universities play in increasing awareness of environmental issues.