Most believe they can avoid littering, but 89% still do.
89% of citizens admit to littering despite believing they can avoid it, with nearly half of urban sites rated dirty.
Why it matters
- Littering is a widespread issue with health and environmental consequences.
- Most people think they can avoid littering but still do it.
By the numbers
- 89% of respondents admitted to littering.
- 85% believe they can avoid littering.
- 46.6% of urban sites were rated dirty or extremely dirty.
The big picture
- There's a disconnect between belief and action in littering behavior.
- External factors like lack of anti-littering laws and inefficient cleaning systems contribute to littering.
What they're saying
- Many are surprised by the high percentage of littering.
- Some think cultural context plays a big role.
- There's a belief that litterers assume cleanup systems will handle the waste.
Caveats
- The study is based in Behbaham, Iran, which may not represent global behavior.
- The study relies on self-reported behavior.
What’s next
- More education is needed to increase awareness of the health and environmental risks of littering.
- Policies and infrastructure improvements could help reduce littering behavior.