Photovoice-based Crowdsourcing: A step towards managing waste and improving environment and health

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While citizens are expected to take responsibility for waste sorting and segregation, limited engagement, lack of awareness, and dependency on others often hinder effective waste management at the source. This study aims to understand participants’ perceptions of waste segregation and management using a photovoice-based crowdsourcing approach. Through qualitative analysis of photographs and accompanying narratives submitted in a national contest, we explored how individuals interpret waste-related challenges, their motivations or barriers to action, and developed a conceptual framework grounded in community insights. While many participants demonstrated awareness of the consequences of poor waste management and advocated for the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle, a key theme that emerged was the lack of community participation and engagement. The conceptual framework, developed using a grounded theory approach, was mapped against the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability-Behaviour (MOAB) model to highlight the interaction of attitudes, perceived norms, and abilities. This study highlights the utility of participatory, photovoice-driven methods in shaping effective and inclusive waste management strategies. Crowdsourcing photovoice waste management municipal solid waste health environment sustainability Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Highlights - Present insights and perceptions of the community members using photovoice method of data collection. - Explores challenges, opportunities and community-driven suggestions in managing waste from across India. - Applied MOAB model and TPB theory to highlight the central role of behaviour and attitude in shaping waste management practices. - Community involvement and engagement enhances waste segregation and its appropriate disposal. - Behaviour change can be promoted by aligning individuals' motivations, opportunities, and abilities with desired behavioural outcomes 1. Introduction Municipal solid waste (MSW) is a pressing global concern, contributing to environmental degradation, public health risks, and challenges in sustainable urban development [ 1 ]. In rapidly urbanizing countries like India, the burden of MSW has intensified due to increasing consumption, inadequate segregation at source, and limited community participation [ 2 ]. Despite policy frameworks such as the Solid Waste Management Rules (2016), a substantial proportion of household waste remains unsegregated and poorly managed [ 3 ]. Addressing this gap requires a deeper understanding of public attitudes, motivations, and perceived barriers toward waste management. Waste management is a global agenda and multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs) including SDG 6, SDG 11, SDG 12 and SDG 14 are directly or indirectly addressing waste issues whose inadequate management also undermines other health and safety SDGs [ 4 ]. Participatory approaches such as crowdsourcing and photovoice offer innovative and inclusive platforms for engaging communities, enabling them to document and share their lived experiences through photographs and narratives. While widely used in health promotion and urban studies [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ], these methods remain underutilized in the Indian context of waste management. To address this gap, the present study employed a photovoice-based crowdsourcing contest to explore how individuals perceive and respond to the concept of waste segregation and management. Using a grounded theory approach, the study developed a conceptual framework grounded in community insights. Waste management system is streamlining in India through better infrastructure and technology such as use of Geographic Information System (GIS) used by urban local bodies (UBL). UBLs manage the waste related challenges such as open dumping and find suitable dumping sites [ 8 ]. Despite it, a significant proportion of household waste is not managed properly in India. According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's annual report (2021-22), India generated 152,076 TPD (tons per day) of MSW, of which more than one-third was treated, one-third was landfilled, and the rest remained mismanaged [ 9 ]. To bridge this gap, we employed a photography contest methodology as a crowdsourcing approach along with grounded theory application to capture community perspectives, ideas, and insights on waste segregation and management within an Indian context and to compare the findings with attitudes and behaviour of the people using theory of planned behaviour and motivation-opportunity-ability-behaviour framework. This contest is a part of the ongoing IMISS study that focuses on enhancing waste segregation at the household level in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, through a community-based randomized controlled trial [ 10 ]. The primary objective of this crowdsourcing approach is to explore people's understanding and insights of how they perceive waste as an issue [ 11 ], waste-associated adverse impacts, why despite of years of Swachh Bharat Mission the problem still persists, and its remediation strategies through crowdsourced content (online photo contest submissions). We also aim to utilize these findings in our intervention content strategies for waste segregation and management for the I-MISS project and for the future to improve waste segregation rate. 2. Method 2.1 Study design This qualitative study adopted a grounded theory approach for both data collection and analysis. Grounded theory guided the design of the contest to enable open-ended, inductive exploration of community perspectives. No predefined hypotheses were imposed. Participants were invited to submit visual (photos) and narrative accounts of waste management challenges or best practices, allowing theories to emerge from the data itself. This contest is a part of the I-MISS Project [ 10 ] that aims to improve the segregation of the waste at the household level in Ujjain city of India. 2.2 Study Setting The contest was held between May 10 and June 20, 2022 jointly organized by Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal, R D Gardi Medical College, Ujjain and Ujjain Municipal Corporation. The theme was “ Waste Segregation for Better Tomorrow ”. Posters and guidelines were developed and posted on the official website of the I-MISS project ( https://imisswaste.rdgmc.edu.in/page/66 ). To promote the reach of the contest, stakeholders such as government organizations, NGOs, educational institutions, and municipalities across India, were contacted and the contest was advertised through their official channels. 2.3 Participant Instructions and contest process: Participants were invited to submit one original photograph accompanied by a caption and a brief description in either Hindi or English. The photograph could depict either opportunities (such as the use of color-coded bins, composting, or segregation at source) or issues, such as open dumping or unsegregated waste etc. Alongside the image, participants were asked to explain what the photograph depicted, why they chose to capture it, and what message or insight they intended to convey. All submissions were reviewed by an independent panel of judges with expertise in environmental health, communication, and public policy. Submissions were first screened for eligibility and then evaluated based on four criteria: relevance to the contest theme, originality (ensuring content was not sourced from the internet), clarity of the visual message, and coherence between the image and the accompanying description. Winners were selected based on the overall score assigned by the panel. Selected entries were recognized publicly through the project’s website and official social media handles. The top three submissions received certificates of merit and prizes as tokens of appreciation, while all participants were awarded certificates of participation acknowledging their contribution. 2.4 Study Participants and Sample Out of the 228 entries received from participants across various regions, 122 submissions met the inclusion criteria of thematic relevance, originality, and coherence between image and description. These eligible entries, comprising photographs along with participant-generated captions and narratives, were included for qualitative analysis in this study. 2.5 Data Management and Analysis Socio-demographic variables of the participants were expressed as proportions. We conducted a thematic analysis using grounded theory approach for the qualitative data (photos, captions, and descriptions) from the 122 entries. All the descriptions and captions obtained in Hindi were translated to English and the translated data was reviewed simultaneously by experts as a quality control measure. The steps of data analysis were discussed at multiple phases with the experts and coders before coding and categorizing was completed. In the first stage of open coding, the data was assessed for meaningful codes (inductive coding was done) and broader categories and sub themes were also formed in the process using the method of constant comparison. In the stage of axial coding, we identified three major central themes from the data (waste management awareness and its significance in tackling poor segregation, health consequences of inappropriate waste segregation on ecosystem and understanding the role of community and service providers in improving waste segregation and management). Additionally, other categories/sub themes related to the major themes started emerging. In the final stage of selective coding, the relationship across the themes, sub themes and categories emerged and connecting them developed a theoretical framework (Fig. 2 ). The relationship relating to waste management and their respective consequences has been demonstrated using the framework. Reflexivity statement: The research team consisted of public health professionals with prior experience in environmental health promotion and qualitative research. We acknowledge that our training and interest in community-driven waste management may have influenced the interpretation of the data. To minimize this potential bias, we followed a structured coding process and discussed emerging findings regularly as a team. Since the data were collected independently through participant-submitted photos and written narratives, the risk of researcher influence during data collection was minimal. 2.6 Ethical considerations Approval for the study was obtained from Institutional Ethical Committee of National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal (NIREH/BPL/IEC/2020–21/41 dated April 21, 2020) and Institutional ethics committee of R D Gardi Medical College, Ujjain (03/2020 dated March 12, 2020). The pictures used in the article belongs to the participants whose consent for publishing in journals was taken during the contest. 3. Results A total of 122 participants whose submissions met the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. Most entries were in English (95.1%), with a few in Hindi or both languages (2.5% each). Most participants were between 6 and 25 years of age (70%), and the gender distribution was nearly equal, with 52.8% male and 48.4% female participants. A large majority were students (77.1%), and most participants resided in urban areas (86.1%) (Table 1 ). The geographical distribution of participants, as illustrated in the map (Fig. 1 ), shows entries received from 18 states and union territories across India, with the highest number from Delhi followed by Madhya Pradesh. Table 1 Socio-demographic details of the participants of the photography contest (N = 122) Characteristics Participant details Variables n % Language Hindi 3 2.5 English 116 95.1 Both 3 2.5 Age 6–51 Median 17.5 25th and 75th percentile: 10.95, 26.54 Gender Male 62 52.8 Females 59 48.4 Others 1 0.8 Education Basic level 30 24.6 Higher secondary 41 33.6 Graduation and above 51 41.8 Occupation Students 94 77.1 Govt employees 8 6.6 Private sector 10 8.2 Self-employed 6 4.9 Unemployed 4 3.3 Residence Urban 105 86.1 Rural 17 13.9 We ensured the quality and reliability of the study by using a systematic, grounded theory-based approach to analyze both the visual and textual data submitted by participants. Coding and theme development were conducted by multiple researchers, and decisions were documented to ensure transparency and dependability. These steps helped ensure that the findings accurately reflect the perspectives embedded in the submitted content. Framework developed (Fig. 2 ) illustrates the dynamic relationship between individual awareness, waste-related behaviors, and their downstream consequences. Waste management practices, whether unfavorable or satisfactory, emerge as intermediaries shaped by individual knowledge, motivation, and community participation. These behaviors ultimately influence both environmental sustainability and human health outcomes. The findings from this analysis are organized into three major themes (Table 2 ): Waste management awareness and its significance in addressing poor segregation Health and ecological consequences of inappropriate waste practices The role of community members and service providers in strengthening waste segregation and management 3.1 Waste management awareness and its significance in managing poor waste segregation By observing the captions, descriptions and photos of the participants, two important subthemes emerged for addressing waste management awareness and tackling of the poor segregation issues. 3.1.1 Waste management needs among people The sub-theme explored the need for awareness among providers to promote sustainable waste management by emphasizing on the importance of collective support by the government and municipality in educating the waste collectors and community members by establishing specific NGOs to teach recycling, waste to energy generation, and consequences of mixing and inappropriate disposal of waste (Table 2 ). They suggested education and awareness by establishing They also felt that pasting pictorial labels on dustbins could encourage non-literate people for proper waste practices. “It has written the dry and wet waste on it though not everyone is literate to read but they can see the picture and understand so the different picture can be a help for the people to understand as to which waste has to be thrown in which dustbin.” (Graduating student from Urban area) 3.1.2 Spectrum of waste management practices Unfavorable or inappropriate waste management practices of people act as catalyst for waste management crisis (Table 2 ). Photos taken by the participants pointed towards inappropriate dumping resulting into the heaps of garbage near the residential areas and roadsides. Moreover, assessing the descriptions, it was identified that the negligence of the community and their expectations that someone else will take care of the waste has curtailed the community motivation and involvement, resulting in heaps of waste near the populated areas. For instance, one of the descriptions stated the following: “Everyone wants cleanliness around them, but when it comes to cleaning the garbage, people ignore it by putting their hands on their mouths. So, what do you think, should we ignore the mess by putting our hands like this or try to clean it up with courage”. (Student from rural area) Additionally, convenient waste disposal practices were also unveiled by the participants such as taking ownership of the waste, segregating waste at the point of generation and inculcating habits among children for long-term waste management. “I am creating awareness among people. Some people started to segregate waste and some have assured to do it in a day or two. We are encouraging people to reuse wet waste at homes itself”. (Graduating student from rural area) 3.1.3 Waste management principles to be followed for sustainable waste management The narratives of the participants suggested that waste management principles and habits among children are necessary to reduce the waste generation at the household level. They supported the adoption of concept of reduce, reuse and recycle, refusing plastic, using bio-waste, composting wet waste and feeding it to cattle, and innovations using waste such as using plastic in making eco-bricks or plastic bricks for sustainable waste management and also set examples. For instance, pictures were captured demonstrating the reuse of tin cans as dustbins and making compost from the garden waste (Fig. 3 ). “This photo was taken in Sikkim. It was wonderful place; I have never seen waste littered around. Entire nation should take Sikkim as role model and learn the methods for the waste management”. (Self-employed male from rural area) “Reduce plastic, unavoidable plastic make creative Eco-bricks for installations like benches, tables etc. Keep the sharp items separately and help the garbage collectors, they are humans too. Save soil from contamination and keeping it healthy and alive. Your health depends on your actions today. Refuse-Reduce-Recycle”. (Private sector working female in urban area) 3.2 Health consequences of inappropriate waste segregation on ecosystem Several photos, captions and descriptions were assessed that addressed poor waste management contributing to adverse health impacts on human, animals and the environment. Sub-themes emerged after assessing the data are: 3.2.1 Public health disease concerns rooting from inappropriate waste management Participants drew a strong link between waste mismanagement and public health issues. They attributed the spread of infectious and non-infectious diseases to open dumping and waste in drains, which create breeding grounds for disease-causing organisms like flies and mosquitoes, increasing infection risks for children (Fig. 4 ). Improper biomedical waste handling was associated with healthcare-related infections and injuries among waste workers. Non-infectious health concerns included lung cancer, microplastic ingestion from aquatic animals, and exposure to toxic fumes from burning waste. “The photo is taken near my campus gate. Here food vendors sell food and there is no provision of dustbins. So, waste is thrown directly into a drain. This waste in rainy season will become breeding ground of mosquito and could lead to Dengue”. (Unemployed male from urban area) “From kitchen to landfills it is everyone’s duty to segregate the waste. When waste pickers put their hands into garbage to clean it up, it results into cuts and infections, deteriorating their health. As a responsible citizen, we should take ownership of our own waste. Change starts from within” (Female student from urban area) 3.2.2 Impact on the environmental health The major areas addressed by the participants in the context of the environmental health were climate change, pollution and loss of aesthetic value due to inappropriate waste dumping. It was found that an impaired recycling process, inappropriate waste disposal in water bodies and high carbon footprint fosters climate change and in turn, global warming. Land pollution is significantly due to construction & demolition waste, over-burdened landfills and increasing plastic waste that plays a role in contaminating the soil. In addition, water stagnation, algal blooms, waste in flowing water and microplastic causes water pollution and puts a catastrophic effect on the aquatic bodies (Fig. 5 ) and animals as found from the knowledge of the participants. “Modernization and progress have had its share of disadvantages and one of the main aspects of concern is the pollution it is causing to the earth- land, air, and water”. (Female student from Urban area) 3.2.3 Downside of poor waste management on animal health This sub-theme emerged because analysis showed that mixed waste and careless disposal of the waste poses significant risks to animal health also (Fig. 5 ). Hazardous articles, chemicals and sharp objects in the mixed waste cause injuries such as cuts and infections that are visible on the outside. However, several internal maladies were also addressed that are generally ignored such as indigestion due to accumulation of plastic waste in the body resulting in starvation. Eating such waste can also cause internal wounds that go unnoticed while animals suffer. Plastic waste in water bodies is ingested by fishes and micro-plastics accumulate in their organs and tissues. This accumulation harms the aquatic animals and also contaminates the complete food chain. Moreover, dumping waste in water bodies also leads to formation of algal blooms, preventing proper exchange of gases and leaving aquatic animals with hypoxia that may result in death of the animals. “MSW is generated by human beings but every other species is affected by its grave danger. Animals can't decipher what is food & what is packaging and therefore, ends up eating parts of polythene or other packaging material. Segregation of waste at source and its right disposal is the key to a better future for all”. (Self-employed individual from urban area) 3.3 Understanding the role of community and service providers in improving waste segregation and management After studying and analysing the data, it was found that majority of the participants expressed their concern for lack of community involvement. They perceive that collective support of the community, governance and waste pickers can be effective in reducing the non-segregated waste hazards on the environment. Several sub-themes emerged from the exploration and are as follows: 3.3.1 Collective efforts of government and community can pave a path towards better waste management Participants noted a lack of individual motivation and community support for proper waste management, increasing the burden on municipalities. They emphasized the need for consistent encouragement from authorities, installation of adequate dustbins, early education on waste habits, and leveraging waste collectors to spread awareness and improve livelihoods. Suggested actions included source segregation, use of color-coded bins (Fig. 6 ), avoiding single-use plastics, and active participation in government cleaning drives and community efforts to strengthen waste management. “If waste is divided properly at primary level, work of people who earn by recycling gets more productive, they will spend less time in segregating and more in manufacturing”. (Male student from urban area) 3.3.2 Behaviour development for waste management The analysis of the data showed that most of the participant perceived negligent behaviour of the community towards the waste as a barrier for effective waste management. Developing a non-negligent behaviour, inculcating habits among children, and learning from others such as people and waste collectors are necessary for developing pro-environmental behaviour. Active involvement and engagement of the community for taking ownership of their waste can act as a catalyst to the government initiatives in managing the waste. Therefore, a responsible behaviour and positive attitude were identified imperative for waste management as stated and demonstrated by the participants (Fig. 7 ). “Initiated by a teacher to inculcate the habit and attitude of segregation among our student's which is understood so well that they are practicing and inculcating same habits in other students. So, this became a chain of change”. (Private sector working female from urban area) 4. Discussion The developed framework elucidates the multifaceted influences on waste management behaviours and their implications for ecosystem health and sustainability. To further explore and contextualize the framework, we have compared the domains of the framework with the established behaviour change theories/models like the Theory of Planned Behaviour [ 12 ] and MOAB (Motivation-Opportunity-Ability-Behaviour). Firstly, aligning the framework with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) highlights the central role of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control in shaping waste management behaviours [ 12 ]. Within the framework, participants' attitudes towards waste management, informed by their awareness of its environmental and health consequences, strongly influence their intentions and subsequent actions. For instance, individuals who perceive waste segregation and recycling as beneficial for environmental conservation are more likely to engage in these behaviours. Similarly, subjective norms, reflecting social pressures and perceptions of others' approval or disapproval, play a pivotal role in driving waste management practices. Participants may be more inclined to adopt sustainable waste management behaviours if they perceive them as socially desirable or normative within their communities. Moreover, perceived behavioural control, encompassing individuals' beliefs about their ability to perform waste management behaviours, influences their intentions and actual engagement in such practices. Interventions targeting these determinants, such as community education programs and infrastructure enhancements, can effectively promote sustainable waste management practices in alignment with the TPB. Motivation, opportunity, ability and behaviour (MOAB) model has been contextualised previously in diverse contexts such as health and waste management [ 13 ] [ 14 ]. Thus, the framework was juxtaposed with the MOAB model, which emphasizes the dynamic interaction between motivation, opportunity, ability, and behaviour. Participants' motivation to engage in sustainable waste management practices, driven by their awareness of environmental and health concerns represents a crucial determinant of behaviour change. Additionally, the availability of opportunities, such as access to recycling facilities or community education programs, influences individuals' ability to enact behaviour change. Moreover, individuals' perceived ability to adopt sustainable practices, influenced by factors such as self-efficacy and resource availability, determines their likelihood of engaging in behaviour change. By addressing these key components, interventions can effectively promote behaviour change by aligning individuals' motivations, opportunities, and abilities with desired behavioural outcomes. The theoretical framework developed in this study provides key insights into factors influencing waste management behavior and its impact on ecosystem health. Addressing the identified domains can help stakeholders design targeted interventions for sustainable practices. The findings align with NITI Aayog’s report, which highlights the government's efforts to improve segregation strategies based on ground-level learnings [ 15 ]. The analysis highlighted a value-action gap in waste management, where people, despite awareness, often ignored litter, expecting others to act [ 14 ] [ 8 ]. Reluctance to pay waste collectors led to roadside dumping, affecting segregation and (Sarker et al., 2024) and eventually, the SDGs linking to health and well-being. Promoting 3Rs, composting, and proper bin placement can aid in addressing this. Mission LiFE (2022) estimates that actions like home composting and avoiding plastic could reduce 15 billion tonnes of food waste and 375 million tonnes of solid waste by 2028 [ 16 ]. Valorizing wet waste for bio-energy and composting [ 17 ] [ 18 ] offers solutions, but mixed waste remains a key barrier needing collective action [ 19 ]. The waste pickers and collectors are not considered an integral part of waste management due to which they lack motivation and it also complies with the study by Buch et al [ 20 ]. The results also stated that most people lack motivation and attitude for using separate dustbins for different waste while their use is important to cut down the issues arising as an outcome of improper waste management [ 21 ] and their use can be a reliable approach to improve the recycling chain of waste and reduce waste generation by driving it in the circular economy [ 22 ]. Therefore, organizing the informal actors such as waste pickers towards the goal of the waste management of the city and increasing awareness among people can be effective approaches for waste management challenges. A key finding revealed the harmful effects of mixed waste and open dumping on human, animal, and environmental health. Open dumping fosters disease-causing microbes, burning waste pollutes air, landfill chemicals contaminate groundwater, and sharp objects in mixed waste injure waste workers and animals [ 23 ] [ 24 ] [ 25 ]. Lung cancer emerged as a concern, aligning with Fazzo et al [ 26 ], who linked illegal dumps and hazardous landfills to cancers in nearby residents. This study emphasized the need for community awareness and support to protect ecosystem health. Many people remain unaware of the long-term harm caused by improper waste disposal, leading to continued negligence. Photographs revealed public perceptions and reasons behind limited action. Policymakers should address the barriers preventing communities from adopting waste segregation practices. These photos can also raise awareness about the environmental damage caused by excessive waste. Insights from the study informed volunteer training in the IMISS project. The study was based on self-selected participants from a national-level photovoice competition, many of whom were urban residents and students. Therefore, we recognize that the findings may not be fully transferable to all populations or rural settings. However, the conceptual framework developed through this analysis, linking awareness, behaviors, and consequences, may be relevant to similar contexts where community engagement in waste management is being explored. The use of detailed participant narratives adds context that can help others assess applicability to their settings. Strength of the study was its novel and economic approach to collecting perceptions on waste management through photos and descriptions, revealing gaps between awareness and action in Indian settings. However, the study's limitations include non-generalizable data due to limited geographic scope and lack of participation from individuals without technology access, particularly from rural areas. 5. Conclusion This qualitative study, using a grounded theory approach, revealed key insights into waste management behaviours through an online photo contest. The theoretical framework developed aligns with established behaviour change models, emphasizing the roles of attitudes, norms, motivation, and perceived control. The findings highlight the benefits of reusing, recycling, reducing, and composting, and the vital role of waste collectors. Health risks from improper waste disposal underscore the need for greater community awareness. Policymakers can use these insights to create targeted interventions for sustainable waste management, enhancing both ecosystem health and sustainability. Declarations Funding : The work was supported by Swedish Research Council (FORMAS) for Environment, Agricultural Sciences, and Spatial Planning (grant no: 2019–00439). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Ethics statement: Approval for the study was obtained from Institutional Ethical Committee of National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal (NIREH/BPL/IEC/2020–21/41 dated April 21, 2020) and Institutional ethics committee of R D Gardi Medical College, Ujjain (03/2020 dated March 12, 2020). The pictures used in the article belongs to the participants whose consent for publishing in journals was taken during the contest. Author contributions : Madhanraj Kalyanasundaram : Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Validation, Visualization, Writing- original draft. Manju Yadav: Formal analysis, Visualization, Writing- original draft, Kavya Krishnan : Data curation, Methodology, Writing- review & editing. Surya Singh: Conceptualization, Methodology, Supervision, Visualization, Writing- review & editing. Rachna Soni: Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Methodology, Project administration, Writing- review & editing. Ashish Pathak: Methodology, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Writing- review & editing. Krushna Chandra Sahoo: Formal analysis, Methodology, Writing- review & editing. Salla Atkins: Methodology, Supervision, Validation, Writing- review & editing. Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg: Methodology, Validation, Writing- review & editing. Kamran Rousta: Methodology, Supervision, Validation, Writing- review & editing. Vishal Diwan: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Writing- review & editing. Competing interests: None Data availability: The data/information gather and/or analyzed during the current study is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. Acknowledgements : Authors would like to thank the participants for providing their valuable time and the insights on the subject. The authors are thankful to Ujjain Municipal Corporation for providing platform to conduct this study. The authors are also thankful to the judges who did the assessment of the contest. Disclosure statement : No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). References Shahab S, Anjum M. Solid waste management scenario in india and illegal dump detection using deep learning: An AI approach towards the sustainable waste management. Sustainability. 2022;14(23):15896. 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Fadhullah W, Imran NIN, Ismail SNS, Jaafar MH, Abdullah H. Household solid waste management practices and perceptions among residents in the East Coast of Malaysia. BMC Public Health. 2022;22:1-20. Maquart P-O, Froehlich Y, Boyer S. Plastic pollution and infectious diseases. The Lancet Planetary Health. 2022;6(10):e842-e5. Fazzo L, Manno V, Iavarone I, Minelli G, De Santis M, Beccaloni E, Scaini F, Miotto E, Airoma D, Comba P. The health impact of hazardous waste landfills and illegal dumps contaminated sites: An epidemiological study at ecological level in Italian Region. Frontiers in Public Health. 2023;11:996960. Table 2 Table 2 is available in the Supplementary Files section. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files floatimage1.png Graphical Abstract Table2.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 04 Sep, 2025 Reviews received at journal 03 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Aug, 2025 Reviews received at journal 27 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 22 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 21 Aug, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 20 Aug, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 05 Aug, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 05 Aug, 2025 First submitted to journal 31 Jul, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7264623","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":494620053,"identity":"379a32f7-cf08-4c69-84af-38e6a9687957","order_by":0,"name":"Madhanraj Kalyanasundaram","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National Institute of Epidemiology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Madhanraj","middleName":"","lastName":"Kalyanasundaram","suffix":""},{"id":494620054,"identity":"3aed1dff-642e-499d-93e4-9a2622e8900c","order_by":1,"name":"Manju Yadav","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"ICMR - National Institute for Research in Environmental Health","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Manju","middleName":"","lastName":"Yadav","suffix":""},{"id":494620055,"identity":"dc38d96f-28b2-46ad-8c69-0e95cbb65824","order_by":2,"name":"Kavya Krishnan","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Central University of Kerala","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kavya","middleName":"","lastName":"Krishnan","suffix":""},{"id":494620056,"identity":"68b33662-c2c5-49fc-b2f1-20b0fdcecd38","order_by":3,"name":"Surya Singh","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"ICMR - National Institute for Research in Environmental Health","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Surya","middleName":"","lastName":"Singh","suffix":""},{"id":494620057,"identity":"31376d8c-0fd0-4abb-aa8d-07f9ec407072","order_by":4,"name":"Rachna Soni","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Ruxmaniben Deepchand Gardi Medical 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Diwan","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA2UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACZgY2BoYCBsY2EOfDAQlitRhAtDDOIEoLA1RLA0g7zwEi1BscZ3/24IcBg2yfRPKzxzZnLBjk2xsIaDnMY27YY8Bg3CaRZm6cc0OCweAMAaskm3nYJHgMGBLbpBPMpHM+ALVIJBDSwv5M8g9YS/o3aQugFvn5D/Br4WdmMJOG2JJjJs0AdBjDDfw6gFp4zKRlDCSM2+TflEn2nAE68gwBh7HxH38m+abCRnZ+z/FtEj+O1cnJtx8gYA0EIGKQhyj1o2AUjIJRMArwAwBlZjf0P4ZjwAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Karolinska Institutet","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vishal","middleName":"","lastName":"Diwan","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-31 17:23:17","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7264623/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7264623/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":88242202,"identity":"3feaf359-697b-4b72-a9be-971770a91281","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-04 11:29:49","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":216775,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eNumber of entries from different geographical locations in India\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7264623/v1/d638c7072e50736b94190a3a.png"},{"id":88242205,"identity":"2810c899-4109-4625-a4b7-ecb0e56c8ced","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-04 11:29:49","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":139982,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eFlow chart on waste management practices developed from the insights shared by the participants\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7264623/v1/382d333273cb08ed5c499049.png"},{"id":88242211,"identity":"92d50312-112d-4c1c-9b56-55121723194e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-04 11:29:49","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1869286,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePictures illustrating both the opportunities for effective waste segregation and the persistent negligence in waste dumping\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7264623/v1/0ba21ce5575491b245e4e670.png"},{"id":88242489,"identity":"185c255f-2c1d-46c1-89e0-a3a917090f87","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-04 11:37:49","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1284851,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePictures taken by the participants to demonstrate waste workers segregating waste with bare hands and inappropriate disposal clogging the drains.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7264623/v1/2e0e8fdd6d3cb7bee9966d89.png"},{"id":88242492,"identity":"50930d50-0209-4046-b38d-ae1222d7384d","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-04 11:37:49","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":2058480,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePhotos taken by the participants showing inappropriate waste disposal affecting animals and ecosystem\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7264623/v1/48ffe4b4c82a4f5501c851ab.png"},{"id":88242235,"identity":"c0c1ff74-960e-49bf-b84c-c9b541ebd23c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-04 11:29:50","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1168909,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePeople showing careful segregation at source of waste generation indicating positive effects of community engagement and involvement\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7264623/v1/a8ebd42daf9aaaebbdbb4460.png"},{"id":88242493,"identity":"65254458-2ccb-4bca-8b92-d08444619691","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-04 11:37:49","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"Figure 7","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":1135120,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePhotographs representing the cleaning initiatives taken by the community to clean the surroundings\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7264623/v1/45fc8d47ff605f4ff791e446.png"},{"id":88243693,"identity":"56761671-f70e-4e15-b11d-ad8027072e9a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-04 11:53:59","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":12518993,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7264623/v1/e530c61f-c7fe-47c5-8e4c-66bb419722df.pdf"},{"id":88242488,"identity":"18b4d0e9-e4b5-4a79-9ea6-00497f678897","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-04 11:37:49","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":962928,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGraphical Abstract\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7264623/v1/54b8bd4dd519618678dc4c1d.png"},{"id":88242487,"identity":"8cc52e73-b0f6-46a8-9a28-b7e249c67325","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-04 11:37:49","extension":"docx","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":22194,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Table2.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7264623/v1/10460af28bf2d97c99c5b63a.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Photovoice-based Crowdsourcing: A step towards managing waste and improving environment and health ","fulltext":[{"header":"Highlights","content":"\u003cp\u003e- Present insights and perceptions of the community members using photovoice method of data collection.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e- Explores challenges, opportunities and community-driven suggestions in managing waste from across India.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e- Applied MOAB model and TPB theory to highlight the central role of behaviour and attitude in shaping waste management practices.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e- Community involvement and engagement enhances waste segregation and its appropriate disposal.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e- Behaviour change can be promoted by aligning individuals' motivations, opportunities, and abilities with desired behavioural outcomes\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eMunicipal solid waste (MSW) is a pressing global concern, contributing to environmental degradation, public health risks, and challenges in sustainable urban development [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]. In rapidly urbanizing countries like India, the burden of MSW has intensified due to increasing consumption, inadequate segregation at source, and limited community participation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]. Despite policy frameworks such as the Solid Waste Management Rules (2016), a substantial proportion of household waste remains unsegregated and poorly managed [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. Addressing this gap requires a deeper understanding of public attitudes, motivations, and perceived barriers toward waste management. Waste management is a global agenda and multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs) including SDG 6, SDG 11, SDG 12 and SDG 14 are directly or indirectly addressing waste issues whose inadequate management also undermines other health and safety SDGs [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]. Participatory approaches such as crowdsourcing and photovoice offer innovative and inclusive platforms for engaging communities, enabling them to document and share their lived experiences through photographs and narratives. While widely used in health promotion and urban studies [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e], these methods remain underutilized in the Indian context of waste management. To address this gap, the present study employed a photovoice-based crowdsourcing contest to explore how individuals perceive and respond to the concept of waste segregation and management. Using a grounded theory approach, the study developed a conceptual framework grounded in community insights.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWaste management system is streamlining in India through better infrastructure and technology such as use of Geographic Information System (GIS) used by urban local bodies (UBL). UBLs manage the waste related challenges such as open dumping and find suitable dumping sites [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Despite it, a significant proportion of household waste is not managed properly in India. According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's annual report (2021-22), India generated 152,076 TPD (tons per day) of MSW, of which more than one-third was treated, one-third was landfilled, and the rest remained mismanaged [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. To bridge this gap, we employed a photography contest methodology as a crowdsourcing approach along with grounded theory application to capture community perspectives, ideas, and insights on waste segregation and management within an Indian context and to compare the findings with attitudes and behaviour of the people using theory of planned behaviour and motivation-opportunity-ability-behaviour framework. This contest is a part of the ongoing IMISS study that focuses on enhancing waste segregation at the household level in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, through a community-based randomized controlled trial [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]. The primary objective of this crowdsourcing approach is to explore people's understanding and insights of how they perceive waste as an issue [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e], waste-associated adverse impacts, why despite of years of Swachh Bharat Mission the problem still persists, and its remediation strategies through crowdsourced content (online photo contest submissions). We also aim to utilize these findings in our intervention content strategies for waste segregation and management for the I-MISS project and for the future to improve waste segregation rate.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Method","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.1 Study design\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis qualitative study adopted a grounded theory approach for both data collection and analysis. Grounded theory guided the design of the contest to enable open-ended, inductive exploration of community perspectives. No predefined hypotheses were imposed. Participants were invited to submit visual (photos) and narrative accounts of waste management challenges or best practices, allowing theories to emerge from the data itself. This contest is a part of the I-MISS Project [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e] that aims to improve the segregation of the waste at the household level in Ujjain city of India.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.2 Study Setting\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe contest was held between May 10 and June 20, 2022 jointly organized by Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal, R D Gardi Medical College, Ujjain and Ujjain Municipal Corporation. The theme was \u0026ldquo;\u003cem\u003eWaste Segregation for Better Tomorrow\u003c/em\u003e\u0026rdquo;. Posters and guidelines were developed and posted on the official website of the I-MISS project (\u003cspan class=\"ExternalRef\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"RefSource\"\u003ehttps://imisswaste.rdgmc.edu.in/page/66\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan address=\"https://imisswaste.rdgmc.edu.in/page/66\" targettype=\"URL\" class=\"RefTarget\"\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan type=\"Underline\" class=\"Underline\" name=\"Emphasis\"\u003e).\u003c/span\u003e To promote the reach of the contest, stakeholders such as government organizations, NGOs, educational institutions, and municipalities across India, were contacted and the contest was advertised through their official channels.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.3 Participant Instructions and contest process:\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"BlockQuote\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipants were invited to submit one original photograph accompanied by a caption and a brief description in either Hindi or English. The photograph could depict either opportunities (such as the use of color-coded bins, composting, or segregation at source) or issues, such as open dumping or unsegregated waste etc. Alongside the image, participants were asked to explain what the photograph depicted, why they chose to capture it, and what message or insight they intended to convey.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll submissions were reviewed by an independent panel of judges with expertise in environmental health, communication, and public policy. Submissions were first screened for eligibility and then evaluated based on four criteria: relevance to the contest theme, originality (ensuring content was not sourced from the internet), clarity of the visual message, and coherence between the image and the accompanying description.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWinners were selected based on the overall score assigned by the panel. Selected entries were recognized publicly through the project\u0026rsquo;s website and official social media handles. The top three submissions received certificates of merit and prizes as tokens of appreciation, while all participants were awarded certificates of participation acknowledging their contribution.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.4 Study Participants and Sample\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOut of the 228 entries received from participants across various regions, 122 submissions met the inclusion criteria of thematic relevance, originality, and coherence between image and description. These eligible entries, comprising photographs along with participant-generated captions and narratives, were included for qualitative analysis in this study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.5 Data Management and Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocio-demographic variables of the participants were expressed as proportions. We conducted a thematic analysis using grounded theory approach for the qualitative data (photos, captions, and descriptions) from the 122 entries. All the descriptions and captions obtained in Hindi were translated to English and the translated data was reviewed simultaneously by experts as a quality control measure. The steps of data analysis were discussed at multiple phases with the experts and coders before coding and categorizing was completed. In the first stage of open coding, the data was assessed for meaningful codes (inductive coding was done) and broader categories and sub themes were also formed in the process using the method of constant comparison. In the stage of axial coding, we identified three major central themes from the data (waste management awareness and its significance in tackling poor segregation, health consequences of inappropriate waste segregation on ecosystem and understanding the role of community and service providers in improving waste segregation and management). Additionally, other categories/sub themes related to the major themes started emerging. In the final stage of selective coding, the relationship across the themes, sub themes and categories emerged and connecting them developed a theoretical framework (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). The relationship relating to waste management and their respective consequences has been demonstrated using the framework.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReflexivity statement: The research team consisted of public health professionals with prior experience in environmental health promotion and qualitative research. We acknowledge that our training and interest in community-driven waste management may have influenced the interpretation of the data. To minimize this potential bias, we followed a structured coding process and discussed emerging findings regularly as a team. Since the data were collected independently through participant-submitted photos and written narratives, the risk of researcher influence during data collection was minimal.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003e2.6 Ethical considerations\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e Approval for the study was obtained from Institutional Ethical Committee of National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal (NIREH/BPL/IEC/2020\u0026ndash;21/41 dated April 21, 2020) and Institutional ethics committee of R D Gardi Medical College, Ujjain (03/2020 dated March 12, 2020). The pictures used in the article belongs to the participants whose consent for publishing in journals was taken during the contest.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eA total of 122 participants whose submissions met the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. Most entries were in English (95.1%), with a few in Hindi or both languages (2.5% each). Most participants were between 6 and 25 years of age (70%), and the gender distribution was nearly equal, with 52.8% male and 48.4% female participants. A large majority were students (77.1%), and most participants resided in urban areas (86.1%) (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e). The geographical distribution of participants, as illustrated in the map (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e), shows entries received from 18 states and union territories across India, with the highest number from Delhi followed by Madhya Pradesh.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocio-demographic details of the participants of the photography contest (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;122)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCharacteristics\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"3\" nameend=\"c4\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eParticipant details\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003en\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHindi\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEnglish\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e116\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e95.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoth\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u0026ndash;51\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMedian\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25th and 75th percentile: 10.95, 26.54\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGender\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e62\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e52.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFemales\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e59\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e48.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOthers\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEducation\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBasic level\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e24.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHigher secondary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGraduation and above\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e51\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"4\" rowspan=\"5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOccupation\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudents\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e94\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e77.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGovt employees\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrivate sector\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSelf-employed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnemployed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eResidence\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUrban\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e105\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e86.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRural\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe ensured the quality and reliability of the study by using a systematic, grounded theory-based approach to analyze both the visual and textual data submitted by participants. Coding and theme development were conducted by multiple researchers, and decisions were documented to ensure transparency and dependability. These steps helped ensure that the findings accurately reflect the perspectives embedded in the submitted content. Framework developed (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e) illustrates the dynamic relationship between individual awareness, waste-related behaviors, and their downstream consequences. Waste management practices, whether unfavorable or satisfactory, emerge as intermediaries shaped by individual knowledge, motivation, and community participation. These behaviors ultimately influence both environmental sustainability and human health outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe findings from this analysis are organized into three major themes (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e):\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003col\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eWaste management awareness and its significance in addressing poor segregation\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eHealth and ecological consequences of inappropriate waste practices\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe role of community members and service providers in strengthening waste segregation and management\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e3.1 Waste management awareness and its significance in managing poor waste segregation\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy observing the captions, descriptions and photos of the participants, two important subthemes emerged for addressing waste management awareness and tackling of the poor segregation issues.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.1.1 Waste management needs among people\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe sub-theme explored the need for awareness among providers to promote sustainable waste management by emphasizing on the importance of collective support by the government and municipality in educating the waste collectors and community members by establishing specific NGOs to teach recycling, waste to energy generation, and consequences of mixing and inappropriate disposal of waste (Table \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). They suggested education and awareness by establishing They also felt that pasting pictorial labels on dustbins could encourage non-literate people for proper waste practices.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;It has written the dry and wet waste on it though not everyone is literate to read but they can see the picture and understand so the different picture can be a help for the people to understand as to which waste has to be thrown in which dustbin.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e (Graduating student from Urban area)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.1.2 Spectrum of waste management practices\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eUnfavorable or inappropriate waste management practices of people act as catalyst for waste management crisis (Table \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). Photos taken by the participants pointed towards inappropriate dumping resulting into the heaps of garbage near the residential areas and roadsides. Moreover, assessing the descriptions, it was identified that the negligence of the community and their expectations that someone else will take care of the waste has curtailed the community motivation and involvement, resulting in heaps of waste near the populated areas. For instance, one of the descriptions stated the following:\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Everyone wants cleanliness around them, but when it comes to cleaning the garbage, people ignore it by putting their hands on their mouths. So, what do you think, should we ignore the mess by putting our hands like this or try to clean it up with courage\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/em\u003e (Student from rural area)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAdditionally, convenient waste disposal practices were also unveiled by the participants such as taking ownership of the waste, segregating waste at the point of generation and inculcating habits among children for long-term waste management.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;I am creating awareness among people. Some people started to segregate waste and some have assured to do it in a day or two. We are encouraging people to reuse wet waste at homes itself\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/em\u003e (Graduating student from rural area)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.1.3 Waste management principles to be followed for sustainable waste management\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe narratives of the participants suggested that waste management principles and habits among children are necessary to reduce the waste generation at the household level. They supported the adoption of concept of reduce, reuse and recycle, refusing plastic, using bio-waste, composting wet waste and feeding it to cattle, and innovations using waste such as using plastic in making eco-bricks or plastic bricks for sustainable waste management and also set examples. For instance, pictures were captured demonstrating the reuse of tin cans as dustbins and making compost from the garden waste (Fig. \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;This photo was taken in Sikkim. It was wonderful place; I have never seen waste littered around. Entire nation should take Sikkim as role model and learn the methods for the waste management\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/em\u003e (Self-employed male from rural area)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Reduce plastic, unavoidable plastic make creative Eco-bricks for installations like benches, tables etc. Keep the sharp items separately and help the garbage collectors, they are humans too. Save soil from contamination and keeping it healthy and alive. Your health depends on your actions today. Refuse-Reduce-Recycle\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/em\u003e (Private sector working female in urban area)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Health consequences of inappropriate waste segregation on ecosystem\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSeveral photos, captions and descriptions were assessed that addressed poor waste management contributing to adverse health impacts on human, animals and the environment. Sub-themes emerged after assessing the data are:\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.2.1 Public health disease concerns rooting from inappropriate waste management\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eParticipants drew a strong link between waste mismanagement and public health issues. They attributed the spread of infectious and non-infectious diseases to open dumping and waste in drains, which create breeding grounds for disease-causing organisms like flies and mosquitoes, increasing infection risks for children (Fig. \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e). Improper biomedical waste handling was associated with healthcare-related infections and injuries among waste workers. Non-infectious health concerns included lung cancer, microplastic ingestion from aquatic animals, and exposure to toxic fumes from burning waste.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;The photo is taken near my campus gate. Here food vendors sell food and there is no provision of dustbins. So, waste is thrown directly into a drain. This waste in rainy season will become breeding ground of mosquito and could lead to Dengue\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/em\u003e (Unemployed male from urban area)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;From kitchen to landfills it is everyone\u0026rsquo;s duty to segregate the waste. When waste pickers put their hands into garbage to clean it up, it results into cuts and infections, deteriorating their health. As a responsible citizen, we should take ownership of our own waste. Change starts from within\u0026rdquo;\u003c/em\u003e (Female student from urban area)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.2.2 Impact on the environmental health\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe major areas addressed by the participants in the context of the environmental health were climate change, pollution and loss of aesthetic value due to inappropriate waste dumping. It was found that an impaired recycling process, inappropriate waste disposal in water bodies and high carbon footprint fosters climate change and in turn, global warming. Land pollution is significantly due to construction \u0026amp; demolition waste, over-burdened landfills and increasing plastic waste that plays a role in contaminating the soil. In addition, water stagnation, algal blooms, waste in flowing water and microplastic causes water pollution and puts a catastrophic effect on the aquatic bodies (Fig. \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e) and animals as found from the knowledge of the participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Modernization and progress have had its share of disadvantages and one of the main aspects of concern is the pollution it is causing to the earth- land, air, and water\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/em\u003e (Female student from Urban area)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.2.3 Downside of poor waste management on animal health\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThis sub-theme emerged because analysis showed that mixed waste and careless disposal of the waste poses significant risks to animal health also (Fig. \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). Hazardous articles, chemicals and sharp objects in the mixed waste cause injuries such as cuts and infections that are visible on the outside. However, several internal maladies were also addressed that are generally ignored such as indigestion due to accumulation of plastic waste in the body resulting in starvation. Eating such waste can also cause internal wounds that go unnoticed while animals suffer. Plastic waste in water bodies is ingested by fishes and micro-plastics accumulate in their organs and tissues. This accumulation harms the aquatic animals and also contaminates the complete food chain. Moreover, dumping waste in water bodies also leads to formation of algal blooms, preventing proper exchange of gases and leaving aquatic animals with hypoxia that may result in death of the animals.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;MSW is generated by human beings but every other species is affected by its grave danger. Animals can\u0026apos;t decipher what is food \u0026amp; what is packaging and therefore, ends up eating parts of polythene or other packaging material. Segregation of waste at source and its right disposal is the key to a better future for all\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/em\u003e (Self-employed individual from urban area)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.3 Understanding the role of community and service providers in improving waste segregation and management\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAfter studying and analysing the data, it was found that majority of the participants expressed their concern for lack of community involvement. They perceive that collective support of the community, governance and waste pickers can be effective in reducing the non-segregated waste hazards on the environment. Several sub-themes emerged from the exploration and are as follows:\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.3.1 Collective efforts of government and community can pave a path towards better waste management\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eParticipants noted a lack of individual motivation and community support for proper waste management, increasing the burden on municipalities. They emphasized the need for consistent encouragement from authorities, installation of adequate dustbins, early education on waste habits, and leveraging waste collectors to spread awareness and improve livelihoods. Suggested actions included source segregation, use of color-coded bins (Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e), avoiding single-use plastics, and active participation in government cleaning drives and community efforts to strengthen waste management.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;If waste is divided properly at primary level, work of people who earn by recycling gets more productive, they will spend less time in segregating and more in manufacturing\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/em\u003e (Male student from urban area)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\n \u003ch2\u003e3.3.2 Behaviour development for waste management\u003c/h2\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eThe analysis of the data showed that most of the participant perceived negligent behaviour of the community towards the waste as a barrier for effective waste management. Developing a non-negligent behaviour, inculcating habits among children, and learning from others such as people and waste collectors are necessary for developing pro-environmental behaviour. Active involvement and engagement of the community for taking ownership of their waste can act as a catalyst to the government initiatives in managing the waste. Therefore, a responsible behaviour and positive attitude were identified imperative for waste management as stated and demonstrated by the participants (Fig. \u003cspan class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u0026ldquo;Initiated by a teacher to inculcate the habit and attitude of segregation among our student\u0026apos;s which is understood so well that they are practicing and inculcating same habits in other students. So, this became a chain of change\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/em\u003e (Private sector working female from urban area)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe developed framework elucidates the multifaceted influences on waste management behaviours and their implications for ecosystem health and sustainability. To further explore and contextualize the framework, we have compared the domains of the framework with the established behaviour change theories/models like the Theory of Planned Behaviour [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e] and MOAB (Motivation-Opportunity-Ability-Behaviour). Firstly, aligning the framework with the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) highlights the central role of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control in shaping waste management behaviours [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. Within the framework, participants' attitudes towards waste management, informed by their awareness of its environmental and health consequences, strongly influence their intentions and subsequent actions. For instance, individuals who perceive waste segregation and recycling as beneficial for environmental conservation are more likely to engage in these behaviours. Similarly, subjective norms, reflecting social pressures and perceptions of others' approval or disapproval, play a pivotal role in driving waste management practices. Participants may be more inclined to adopt sustainable waste management behaviours if they perceive them as socially desirable or normative within their communities. Moreover, perceived behavioural control, encompassing individuals' beliefs about their ability to perform waste management behaviours, influences their intentions and actual engagement in such practices. Interventions targeting these determinants, such as community education programs and infrastructure enhancements, can effectively promote sustainable waste management practices in alignment with the TPB.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMotivation, opportunity, ability and behaviour (MOAB) model has been contextualised previously in diverse contexts such as health and waste management [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]. Thus, the framework was juxtaposed with the MOAB model, which emphasizes the dynamic interaction between motivation, opportunity, ability, and behaviour. Participants' motivation to engage in sustainable waste management practices, driven by their awareness of environmental and health concerns represents a crucial determinant of behaviour change. Additionally, the availability of opportunities, such as access to recycling facilities or community education programs, influences individuals' ability to enact behaviour change. Moreover, individuals' perceived ability to adopt sustainable practices, influenced by factors such as self-efficacy and resource availability, determines their likelihood of engaging in behaviour change. By addressing these key components, interventions can effectively promote behaviour change by aligning individuals' motivations, opportunities, and abilities with desired behavioural outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe theoretical framework developed in this study provides key insights into factors influencing waste management behavior and its impact on ecosystem health. Addressing the identified domains can help stakeholders design targeted interventions for sustainable practices. The findings align with NITI Aayog\u0026rsquo;s report, which highlights the government's efforts to improve segregation strategies based on ground-level learnings [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe analysis highlighted a value-action gap in waste management, where people, despite awareness, often ignored litter, expecting others to act [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. Reluctance to pay waste collectors led to roadside dumping, affecting segregation and (Sarker et al., 2024) and eventually, the SDGs linking to health and well-being. Promoting 3Rs, composting, and proper bin placement can aid in addressing this. Mission LiFE (2022) estimates that actions like home composting and avoiding plastic could reduce 15\u0026nbsp;billion tonnes of food waste and 375\u0026nbsp;million tonnes of solid waste by 2028 [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. Valorizing wet waste for bio-energy and composting [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e] offers solutions, but mixed waste remains a key barrier needing collective action [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe waste pickers and collectors are not considered an integral part of waste management due to which they lack motivation and it also complies with the study by Buch \u003cem\u003eet al\u003c/em\u003e [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]. The results also stated that most people lack motivation and attitude for using separate dustbins for different waste while their use is important to cut down the issues arising as an outcome of improper waste management [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e] and their use can be a reliable approach to improve the recycling chain of waste and reduce waste generation by driving it in the circular economy [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, organizing the informal actors such as waste pickers towards the goal of the waste management of the city and increasing awareness among people can be effective approaches for waste management challenges.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA key finding revealed the harmful effects of mixed waste and open dumping on human, animal, and environmental health. Open dumping fosters disease-causing microbes, burning waste pollutes air, landfill chemicals contaminate groundwater, and sharp objects in mixed waste injure waste workers and animals [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e]. Lung cancer emerged as a concern, aligning with Fazzo et al [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e], who linked illegal dumps and hazardous landfills to cancers in nearby residents.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study emphasized the need for community awareness and support to protect ecosystem health. Many people remain unaware of the long-term harm caused by improper waste disposal, leading to continued negligence. Photographs revealed public perceptions and reasons behind limited action. Policymakers should address the barriers preventing communities from adopting waste segregation practices. These photos can also raise awareness about the environmental damage caused by excessive waste. Insights from the study informed volunteer training in the IMISS project. The study was based on self-selected participants from a national-level photovoice competition, many of whom were urban residents and students. Therefore, we recognize that the findings may not be fully transferable to all populations or rural settings. However, the conceptual framework developed through this analysis, linking awareness, behaviors, and consequences, may be relevant to similar contexts where community engagement in waste management is being explored. The use of detailed participant narratives adds context that can help others assess applicability to their settings.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrength of the study was its novel and economic approach to collecting perceptions on waste management through photos and descriptions, revealing gaps between awareness and action in Indian settings. However, the study's limitations include non-generalizable data due to limited geographic scope and lack of participation from individuals without technology access, particularly from rural areas.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"5. Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis qualitative study, using a grounded theory approach, revealed key insights into waste management behaviours through an online photo contest. The theoretical framework developed aligns with established behaviour change models, emphasizing the roles of attitudes, norms, motivation, and perceived control. The findings highlight the benefits of reusing, recycling, reducing, and composting, and the vital role of waste collectors. Health risks from improper waste disposal underscore the need for greater community awareness. Policymakers can use these insights to create targeted interventions for sustainable waste management, enhancing both ecosystem health and sustainability.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e: The work was supported by Swedish Research Council (FORMAS) for Environment, Agricultural Sciences, and Spatial Planning (grant no: 2019\u0026ndash;00439). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics statement:\u003c/strong\u003e Approval for the study was obtained from Institutional Ethical Committee of National Institute for Research in Environmental Health, Bhopal (NIREH/BPL/IEC/2020\u0026ndash;21/41 dated April 21, 2020) and Institutional ethics committee of R D Gardi Medical College, Ujjain (03/2020 dated March 12, 2020). The pictures used in the article belongs to the participants whose consent for publishing in journals was taken during the contest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e: Madhanraj Kalyanasundaram\u003c/strong\u003e: Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Validation, Visualization, Writing- original draft. \u003cstrong\u003eManju Yadav: \u003c/strong\u003eFormal analysis, Visualization, Writing- original draft, \u003cstrong\u003eKavya Krishnan\u003c/strong\u003e: Data curation, Methodology, Writing- review \u0026amp; editing. \u003cstrong\u003eSurya Singh: \u003c/strong\u003eConceptualization, Methodology, Supervision, Visualization, Writing- review \u0026amp; editing. \u003cstrong\u003eRachna Soni:\u003c/strong\u003e Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Methodology, Project administration, Writing- review \u0026amp; editing. \u003cstrong\u003eAshish Pathak:\u003c/strong\u003e Methodology, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Writing- review \u0026amp; editing. \u003cstrong\u003eKrushna Chandra Sahoo:\u003c/strong\u003e Formal analysis, Methodology, Writing- review \u0026amp; editing. \u003cstrong\u003eSalla Atkins: \u003c/strong\u003eMethodology, Supervision, Validation, Writing- review \u0026amp; editing. \u003cstrong\u003eCecilia St\u0026aring;lsby Lundborg: \u003c/strong\u003eMethodology, Validation, Writing- review \u0026amp; editing. \u003cstrong\u003eKamran Rousta:\u003c/strong\u003e Methodology, Supervision, Validation, Writing- review \u0026amp; editing. \u003cstrong\u003eVishal Diwan:\u003c/strong\u003e Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Writing- review \u0026amp; editing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests: \u003c/strong\u003eNone\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability:\u003c/strong\u003e The data/information gather and/or analyzed during the current study is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e: Authors would like to thank the participants for providing their valuable time and the insights on the subject. The authors are thankful to Ujjain Municipal Corporation for providing platform to conduct this study. The authors are also thankful to the judges who did the assessment of the contest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisclosure statement\u003c/strong\u003e: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShahab S, Anjum M. Solid waste management scenario in india and illegal dump detection using deep learning: An AI approach towards the sustainable waste management. Sustainability. 2022;14(23):15896.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompendium of WHO and other UN guidance on health and environment, 2022 update. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022. Available at: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/352844/WHO-HEP-ECH-EHD-22.01-eng.pdf?sequence=1 (Accessed: 24 April 2024). \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCitizen consumer and civic action group. 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BMC Public Health. 2021;21:1-11.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKrishnan K, Sahoo KC, Kalyanasundaram M, Singh S, Srinivas A, Pathak A, St\u0026aring;lsby Lundborg C, Atkins S, Rousta K, Diwan V. Feasibility assessment of crowdsourcing slogans for promoting household waste segregation in India: a cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Public Health. 2023;11:1118331.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAjzen I. The theory of planned behavior. Organizational behavior and human decision processes. 1991;50(2):179-211.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eO\u0026apos;Donnell MP. A simple framework to describe what works best: improving awareness, enhancing motivation, building skills, and providing opportunity. American Journal of Health Promotion. 2005;20(1):1-11.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSahoo KC, Soni R, Kalyanasundaram M, Singh S, Parashar V, Pathak A, Purohit MR, Sabde Y, St\u0026aring;lsby Lundborg C, Sidney Annerstedt K. 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Solid waste management in the context of the waste hierarchy and circular economy frameworks: An international critical review. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. 2024;20(1):9-35.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKwun Omang DI, John GE, Inah SA, Bisong JO. Public health implication of solid waste generated by households in Bekwarra Local Government area. African health sciences. 2021;21(3):1467-73.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFadhullah W, Imran NIN, Ismail SNS, Jaafar MH, Abdullah H. Household solid waste management practices and perceptions among residents in the East Coast of Malaysia. BMC Public Health. 2022;22:1-20.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaquart P-O, Froehlich Y, Boyer S. Plastic pollution and infectious diseases. The Lancet Planetary Health. 2022;6(10):e842-e5.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFazzo L, Manno V, Iavarone I, Minelli G, De Santis M, Beccaloni E, Scaini F, Miotto E, Airoma D, Comba P. The health impact of hazardous waste landfills and illegal dumps contaminated sites: An epidemiological study at ecological level in Italian Region. Frontiers in Public Health. 2023;11:996960.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"},{"header":"Table 2","content":"\u003cp\u003eTable 2 is available in the Supplementary Files section.\u003c/p\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-social-science-and-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"diss","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Social Science and Health](https://www.springer.com/journal/44155)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Social Science and Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Crowdsourcing, photovoice, waste management, municipal solid waste, health, environment sustainability","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7264623/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7264623/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIncreasing amount of Municipal solid waste is a growing global concern harming the health of the humans and animals and affecting the sustainability of the environment. While citizens are expected to take responsibility for waste sorting and segregation, limited engagement, lack of awareness, and dependency on others often hinder effective waste management at the source. This study aims to understand participants’ perceptions of waste segregation and management using a photovoice-based crowdsourcing approach. Through qualitative analysis of photographs and accompanying narratives submitted in a national contest, we explored how individuals interpret waste-related challenges, their motivations or barriers to action, and developed a conceptual framework grounded in community insights. While many participants demonstrated awareness of the consequences of poor waste management and advocated for the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle, a key theme that emerged was the lack of community participation and engagement. The conceptual framework, developed using a grounded theory approach, was mapped against the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability-Behaviour (MOAB) model to highlight the interaction of attitudes, perceived norms, and abilities. This study highlights the utility of participatory, photovoice-driven methods in shaping effective and inclusive waste management strategies.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Photovoice-based Crowdsourcing: A step towards managing waste and improving environment and health","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-08-04 11:29:44","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7264623/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-09-05T03:02:59+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-09-03T13:55:18+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"280834385503393860517408441179689300763","date":"2025-08-31T03:35:44+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-08-28T00:34:13+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"298039254362367610266614079861443712390","date":"2025-08-26T12:49:23+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"80737566699733578311955653965194025220","date":"2025-08-22T14:34:39+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"101552081831052955701112343714447794859","date":"2025-08-21T10:13:46+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-08-20T12:55:42+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-08-05T11:53:09+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-08-05T11:52:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Social Science and Health","date":"2025-07-31T17:12:54+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-social-science-and-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"diss","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Social Science and Health](https://www.springer.com/journal/44155)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Discover Social Science and Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"934d07b7-599d-4a2c-afda-3ecc9495723b","owner":[],"postedDate":"August 4th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-12-12T08:39:28+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-08-04 11:29:44","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7264623","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7264623","identity":"rs-7264623","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}