While infrastructure and technology are essential, the success of any waste system ultimately depends on human action. The World Bank’s Behaviour Change in Solid Waste Management: A Compendium of Cases explores the psychological and social drivers that determine how waste is managed at the household level. For practitioners and city leaders—particularly in rapidly urbanising regions across Southeast Asia and India—this publication provides the behavioural tools necessary to move beyond simple public awareness and create lasting shifts in community-based waste management practices.
This compendium serves as a practical guide for applying behavioural insights to solve the plastic pollution crisis.
Key highlights of the report include:
- Behavioural Science Applications: An analysis of “nudges,” social norms, and incentives that successfully drive source separation and recycling.
- Global Case Studies: Real-world examples from diverse urban contexts, demonstrating how behavioural interventions can be scaled to reduce environmental leakage.
- Social Change Communication: Strategies for designing communication campaigns that go beyond sharing information to actively fostering new waste disposal habits.
- Impact on Sustainability: Evidence of how shifts in individual behaviour improve the long-term efficiency and financial viability of municipal waste collection systems.
This resource is an essential addition for those who are looking to integrate evidence-based behavioural strategies into their systemic interventions.
