Behavioural insights for better waste management

The Behavioural Insights for Better Waste Management project is implemented by Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC), located in Osaka City, in collaboration with the UNEP International Environmental Technology Centre (UNEP-IETC) and supported by Lloyd's Register Foundation. The project runs from February 2026 to February 2027 and aims to explore the complex relationship between social behaviour and waste disposal habits. By identifying the key behavioural factors influencing people’s habits on recycling and disposal, GEC seeks to develop evidence-based recommendations to help local authorities improve the effectiveness of their waste management systems.

Context

Currently, poor waste mismanagement costs global society an estimated US$361 billion annually and contributes to nearly 1 million deaths each year in developing countries. The project intends to touch on some of the lingering issues behind this issue, and through a comparative analysis of UNEP’s Global Waste Management Outlook and the Lloyd’s Register Foundation World Risk Poll report, A world of waste, will help stakeholders better understand the relationship between local waste management services and disposal habits.

The project is structured into two main components: comprehensive data analysis and outreach activities, where researchers will investigate whether poor infrastructure creates "lock-in effects" that discourage proper disposal habits, leading to higher management costs for municipalities. Following this analysis, the project will produce an analytical framework and tailored interventions designed to enhance community participation. These findings will be disseminated through a global launching event and knowledge-sharing activities to ensure local decision-makers have the tools to design more impactful waste strategies. Looking forward, the definition of the project scope and its main target areas is one of the upcoming next steps as implementation begins.

Outputs and activities

Output 1 – analysis of available information and development of a finalized report.

Activity 1.1 – combination and comparative analysis of GWMO’s and WRP’s datasets, to find common patterns and key trends involving waste management systems vis-à-vis waste disposal habits;

Activity 1.2 – desk research to include additional scientific data, as well as demographic and socioeconomic information, to provide further information on the comparison between waste management systems and waste disposal habits;

Activity 1.3 – analysis of national and international policy frameworks touching on aspects related to safety and risk exposure and pollution and waste management, to identify more effective measures for better waste management systems and contexts for their effectiveness;

Activity 1.4 – development of an analytical framework, highlighting main findings from the above analyses, followed by overarching recommendations and tailored interventions designed to enhance public engagement and promote better waste management strategies, particularly at local level.

Output 2 – outreach and dissemination activities

Activity 2.1 – launching event aimed at target audience to disseminate the final report and the main insights emerging from the project;

Activity 2.2 – promotion of materials and knowledge-sharing and lessons learnt generated across the project through various social channels and knowledge platforms from UNEP-IETC and partners.