<p>Waste separation is important for improving ecological environment, saving resources, and safeguarding the health of residents. Nowadays, social publicity as a channel of information dissemination can have a potential impact on residents’ intention to separate waste. Based on the Norm Activation Model (NAM), this study explores the mechanisms of social publicity on the behavioral intention of waste separation among urban residents in China, and uses Structural Equation Model (SEM) to conduct an empirical study. The results show that both consequences awareness and responsibility attribution have a direct and positive influence on personal moral norm, and that consequences awareness can indirectly influence personal moral norm through responsibility attribution. Personal moral norm can directly influence urban residents’ intention to separate waste. At the same time, social publicity can directly influence the core variables in the NAM, and indirectly influence urban residents’ intention to separate waste. This study not only provides new research ideas for future research, but also helps policy makers to better understand the factors influencing urban residents’ waste separation intention, and provides them with theoretical basis and policy insights.</p>