Rural Household Garbage Sorting for Sustainable Development: Contributing to Substantial Health Improvements in China

Promoting household garbage sorting holds substantial importance for improving the living environment, enhancing public health, and advancing sustainable development. Based on data from rural households in China, this study empirically examines the impact of garbage sorting on household health and explores its underlying mechanisms. The findings reveal that garbage sorting significantly improves households’ subjective health, with notable heterogeneity across regions and household characteristics. Specifically, the health benefits are more pronounced in the eastern region, as well as among households with higher levels of education and income, while the effects are less significant in lower-education and lower-income groups. Further analysis indicates that garbage sorting may also indirectly promote household health at the cognitive level by fostering greater engagement with health and wellness information. Moreover, garbage sorting is associated with positive changes in other health-related behaviors, such as better regulation of sugar, salt, and oil intake, as well as an increase in the use of health products. These results suggest that garbage sorting not only improves household health outcomes but also contributes to environmental sustainability and health equity, aligning with the broader goals of sustainable rural development.