Polycentric governance in waste management: A mechanism analysis of actors’ behavior evolution at the community level

Polycentric waste governance (PWG) is novel approach to handling the increasing waste by embracing broader stakeholders, compared to isolated public service. This paper sought to unpack the strategic coevolution mechanism of PWG's main stakeholders at community level by evolutionary game theory. Our findings highlighted that “Recycler” ultimately chooses active participation while “Community” and “Householder” are on the fence. In addition, the transmission effect existed in the interplays among three agents. Our modeling analysis also echoed the “tragedy of the commons” and market failure in the theoretical landscape of PWG. Thus, the countermeasures, including community engagement, public perception, innovative “Government-Market” cooperation mode, etc., deserved attention. Uncovering the ‘black box’ of the PWG model, an enhanced understanding of governance actors’ strategic evolution mechanism for improving the PWG theory is obtained thus far. The research findings would expect to enlighten the practice of PWG in reality, thereby mitigating the dilemma of “waste siege.” © 2023 Elsevier B.V.