Nagaland University study finds community norms and local institutions are key to plastic waste management.
DIMAPUR — A Nagaland University study has found that community expectations and social norms strongly influence how people handle plastic waste, highlighting the need for waste-management strategies that work through trusted local institutions and community networks rather than relying on awareness campaigns alone.
The study examined the factors influencing plastic-handling practices among residents. According to an update, the researchers surveyed 226 residents across Kohima, Dimapur, and Chümoukedima districts, supplemented by open-ended responses from 131 respondents and in-depth interviews with 10 additional participants.
Data were collected between June and December 2025.
The findings indicate that changing plastic-waste behaviour requires more than informing individuals about the environmental consequences of plastic.
Community expectations and the practices people observe around them remain critical factors.
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The findings were published in Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, an Elsevier open-access journal focusing on environmental and sustainability indicators, environmental management, policy formulation, and interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable development.
Nagaland University faculty members Prabhakar Sharma and Gyanendra Nath Tiwari co-authored the paper. The open-access publication fee was supported through the One Nation One Subscription initiative of the Government of India.
The findings showed that subjective norms, such as the expectations and behaviour of people around an individual, were the strongest correlate of self-reported plastic-handling practices. Personal attitudes towards plastic waste were also associated with behaviour, while cultural values were found to be a correlate, although the researchers cautioned that the measure of cultural values had low reliability and should not be interpreted as a proven independent driver.
Elaborating on the study, Prabhakar Sharma, Head of the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Technology at Nagaland University, said, “Residents identified lack of awareness, inadequate infrastructure and weak enforcement among the major barriers to responsible plastic-waste management. Our study also revealed a gap between awareness and action. Respondents strongly agreed that plastic is harmful to the environment, with an average score of 4.77 out of 5. However, their scores were considerably lower for access to waste-disposal facilities and confidence in segregating waste, which were approximately 2.7 to 3.2 out of 5.”
Perceived control over waste disposal did not independently predict self-reported behaviour once community norms were considered. Residents continued to identify inadequate waste-management infrastructure as a significant practical barrier, suggesting that infrastructure improvements need to be accompanied by community-level interventions.
The qualitative findings provided further insight into the role of cultural traditions in Nagaland. Participants noted that traditional beliefs and community practices encourage cleanliness and responsible living, though these traditions were not developed specifically to address modern plastic waste.
Head of the Department of Teacher Education Gyanendra Nath Tiwari added, “Based on residents’ responses, the most frequently suggested solutions included greater awareness, improved waste-management infrastructure and stricter enforcement, followed by promoting reduce-reuse-recycle practices, community clean-up drives and incentives. Our study therefore points towards an integrated approach combining improved collection and segregation systems with community-based action.”