The Netherlands puts an admirable amount of effort and resources into environmental preservation. “With a current recycling rate of 51% the Netherlands has one of the leading positions in the recycling of household waste in Europe” (Goorhuis et al., 2012, p. 1). Through combined efforts in transportation, energy and industry, the Netherlands’ sustainable infrastructure serves to reduce the country’s carbon footprint. The country already has a sustainable culture of transportation, as people most of the time travel fuel-free, either by bike or by public transportation. In addition, “the country has committed to providing 100% emissions-free busses by 2025 and removing all gas and diesel vehicles from the road by 2030, positioning the country as a leader in sustainable regional and urban ground transport.” (Goorhuis et al., 2012, p. 1).

Dependent Variable (Waste Management)

Waste is defined as the residue of a human daily activity, containing hazardous or toxic substances due to its nature, concentration or quantity that can either directly or indirectly harm the environment and/or human health (Ayu et al., 2018). It can be of all types including industrial, biological or household waste. Waste management is the process between the creation and the disposal of waste. More precisely, it includes the collection, disposal or recycling and monitoring of waste. It aims at reducing the negative effects and impacts on human health and the environment. Waste reduction activities through reduce, reuse and recycle already start at the individual housing levels (Ayu et al., 2018). However, there is no uniform policy how to properly manage waste which implies that there are still diverging levels of waste management worldwide.

Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)

The impact of the attitude and awareness of the environment on the behaviour of individuals has been shown in the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991), one of the most influential theoretical frameworks that can also be applied to the field of ecological psychology. This theory is designed to predict and explain human behaviour in specific contexts (Ajzen, 1991). A main determinant within this theory is the individual’s intention to perform a certain behaviour. Intentions are influenced by attitude, subjective norms and the perceived behavioural control. This study aims at gathering knowledge about pro-environmental behaviour within these three sections (see