Behavioral and social factors influencing open waste burning in Dhulikhel Municipality, Nepal: A qualitative study

Abstract

Open Waste Burning (OWB) is a solid waste management problem in developing countries, resulting into serious environmental and health concerns. Although an increasing number of literature focuses on estimating emissions, signifying the state of the problem, and assessing the environmental and health risks; the factors affecting open waste burning, specifically the underlying behavioral factors remain less studied. In this paper, we take a qualitative approach to study social and behavioral factors affecting open waste burning in Dhulikhel, a suburban municipality in Nepal. An in-depth semi-structured interview of seven people directly engaged in OWB practices was taken, and the obtained data was analyzed inductively to construct themes. Waste accumulation, adjustment to recent provision of waste collection service, and its convenience and accessibility are key factors that explain the close connection of waste management practices to OWB. Lack of scientific and complete awareness, lesser knowledge of environmental risks, seeing OWB as an “infrequent exception”, and a negative perception of one’s community were found to increase OWB incidence. Other factors identified include increasing plastic waste, distinct nature of agriculture waste, and influence of infrastructural barriers. Context-specific qualitative exploration undertaken in this study confirms some pre-identified factors and identifies three distinct social and behavioral factors, establishing a baseline for future assessments.