Bishal Bharadwaj, Tara Gates, Sobia Rose, Ernoiz Antriyandarti, Sarva Mangala Praveena, Chizoba Obianuju Oranu, Monjit Borthakur, Pramesh Kumar Dhungana, Aminath Shazly, Gabriel Enrique De-la-Torre, Ayşe Lisa Allison, Dinushika Madhushani Yapa Abeywardhana, Sizwe Mabaso, Philip Kofi Adom, Margaret Banga, Witness Dlamini, Telesphore Kabera, Jessika Bohlmann, Chinnathan Areeprasert, Bijeesh Kozhikkodan Veettil, Wasso Dieudonné Shukuru, Nyaladzani Nkhwanana, Alice Kammwamba, Rajesh Kumar Rai, Bakary Conteh, Victoria Ndinelago Erasmus, Sadikou Agbere, Keophousone Phonhalath, Hope Njoroge, Darcy Glenn, Esther Ishuga, Gilbert Mubalama Mugisho, Raeesa Moolla, Fèmi E. Hounnou, Madina Mwagale Guloba, Ulemj Damiran, Hari Vuthaluru, Yacob Mulagetta, Marc Jeuland, Ian D. Gates, Peta Ashworth
Abstract
Anecdotal evidence suggests that households burn plastics to manage waste and help satisfy their energy demand. To examine the prevalence, extent, and reasons for using plastic waste as household fuel, we report on a survey with 1018 key informants from cities in 26 countries in the Global South. Informants were purposively selected due to their familiarity with the living conditions in their communities. One-third of respondents reported being aware of plastic waste burning, with some reporting that their households engaged in this practice. Analyses of the data reveal significant correlations of plastic waste burning with both supply factors, such as, the massive amount of waste generated (p = 0.000), expensive clean fuels (p = 0.004), and demand factors, including self-management of waste (p = 0.000). Expanding essential public waste management services and implementing programs that enhance the affordability of clean energy technologies, especially among marginalized and low-income communities, could reduce this health- and environment-damaging practice.
Sustainable Development Goals
Publication reference
Bharadwaj, B., Gates, T., Rose, S., Antriyandarti, E., Praveena, S. M., Oranu, C. O., Borthakur, M., Dhungana, P. K., Shazly, A., De-la-Torre, G. E., Allison, A. L., Abeywardhana, D. M. Y., Mabaso, S., Adom, P. K., Banga, M., Dlamini, W., Kabera, T., Bohlmann, J., Areeprasert, C., … Ashworth, P. (2026). Prevalence of plastic waste as a household fuel in low-income communities of the Global South. Nature Communications, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67512-y
Publication | 9 January 2026
