From kitchen to bin: exploring household food waste sorting in Lithuania

This study examines household food-waste sorting behavior in Lithuania, with a particular focus on the determinants shaping residents’ attitudes and practices. A survey of 264 respondents was conducted in two regions–Alytus, where source-separated food-waste collection has been in place since 2018, and Telšiai, where such a system has not yet been implemented. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests (Chi-square and Kruskal–Wallis). The results indicate that food-waste sorting behavior is strongly conditioned by infrastructural availability, housing type, income level, and household size. Although 85.6% of respondents express support for food-waste separation, only 29.9% report perceiving direct benefits from doing so. The primary barriers identified include perceived additional costs, increased time requirements, and issues related to odor. Financial instruments–particularly “pay-as-you-throw” schemes–together with targeted informational campaigns emerge as the most promising approaches for encouraging higher participation rates. Overall, the findings provide empirically grounded recommendations for improving waste-management infrastructure, promoting household composting, and designing economic and informational interventions aimed at enhancing sustainable waste practices and reducing environmental impacts.