Waste Management Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices: Determinants, Gaps, and Pathways to Sustainable Behavior Across Diverse Socio-Economic Contexts
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65761/jssp.2026.115Keywords:
Solid Waste Management; Theory of Planned Behavior; Knowledge-Attitude-Practice; Environmental Knowledge; Personal Norms; Pakistan; China; Ethiopia; Indonesia; Charsadda; Sustainable DevelopmentAbstract
Background: Solid waste management (SWM) is a LMIC challenge. This review synthesizes evidence and field-survey data from Charsadda, Pakistan, integrating TPB, VBN, KAP, and ISWM frameworks.
Objective: To identify patterns in SWM knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral determinants and illustrate Pakistani conditions using evidence.
Methods: A narrative synthesis of five studies published between 2020 and 2024, including cross-sectional surveys, mixed methods, and secondary data benchmarking, was supplemented by two structured questionnaires administered face-to-face at four sites in Charsadda district. Descriptive statistics and percentage frequency distributions were used for analysis.
Results: Knowledge gaps were more consistently associated with improper SWM practices than attitudinal barriers; subjective norms were strong behavioral predictors in collectivistic contexts; and infrastructure access was a stronger predictor of improper disposal than individual knowledge or attitudes. Charsadda data showed 92.86% willingness to act, 90.48% non-participation, and severe infrastructure deficits. Economic modelling for 11 Pakistani cities estimated 11.6 million tons of MSW and approximately 29% operational cost recovery through recycling, composting, and carbon credits.
Conclusion: Effective SWM interventions must address cognitive, normative, and structural determinants simultaneously. Campus-based programs show promise for behavioral change. Estimated methane emissions from the 11 cities reach 179.7 Gg/year, highlighting climate relevance of SWM governance.
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