A perception survey of plastic waste management practices in Girdharpur Village, Uttar Pradesh, India

The present study aimed to provide a detailed empirical assessment of plastic waste management practices in Girdharpur village of Gautam Buddha Nagar district, Uttar Pradesh, India, with the following objectives in mind: (a) to examine the plastic items used for consumption, (b) to identify the current plastic waste disposal methods, and (c) to assess the villagers’ willingness to participate in plastic waste separation and collection systems. A mixed-methods approach was adopted to capture villagers’ perceptions of plastic waste through structured surveys and semi-structured interviews. The information was gathered from 85 randomly selected households and supplemented with ten key informants, field observations, and secondary data reviews. Results revealed that single-use plastics constitute 63% of the primary sources of pollution in the area. Although 45% of households use reusable bags and containers, 16% avoid products with excessive plastic packaging, and 47% recycle plastic items, efforts are limited by insufficient technical knowledge, infrastructure, awareness, high cost, and seasonal constraints. About half of the respondents (55%) were not willing to pay more for products with eco-friendly packaging. Further, 69% of the respondents reported the use of biodegradable plastics as a viable solution; however, majority of the population (87%) thinks that local governments should enforce strict regulations on plastic waste management. The study concludes that inclusion and technical training of rural communities in future plastic pollution and circular economy research can assist policymakers in reducing environmental and public health threats.