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Open burning of waste thematic learning resources

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Grant learnings and best practice outcomes from the open burning of waste grant projects with Engineering X. 

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Overview

In 2022, Engineering X launched the first-ever global grant scheme dedicated to tackling the open burning of waste. The open burning of waste contributes an estimated 11% of global carbon emissions. It accelerates climate change and causes serious harm to health and the environment. Yet it remains overlooked in government budgets. With limited data, the true scale of the problem is still unknown, despite being widely used as a low-cost solution where waste systems fall short. Driven by low awareness and systemic gaps, this practice disproportionately affects the most vulnerable communities. 

The learnings and best practice outcomes from the grant projects are structured around five core themes that reflect where action is most needed. Each theme has been developed into a learning resource which you can access below. These themes are important to improve, understand and inform interventions, to enable the ending of open waste burning. 

Data sets, new knowledge and analysis

  • Technology can efficiently map open‑burning hotspots and help build a robust evidence base.
  • Researchers may need to balance ambition with feasibility and accept that only a limited dataset can sometimes be obtained.
  • Gender‑disaggregated data provides behavioural insight, showing how motivations for burning differ between men and women and highlighting opportunities for more tailored community engagement.   

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Community level behaviour change

  • Holistic, co‑designed approaches with the communities are essential to achieve long‑lasting behavioural change.
  • Simple solutions are often the most effective, and communities must feel valued and appreciated for their participation.
  • Behavioural change takes time and requires continuous efforts with reflection on what is and is not working. 

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Engagement with decision‑makers

  • A long‑term partnership approach, with continuous engagement and sustained time investment, is central to building trust with government officials.
  • Culture can shape how people respond to change so, place-based understanding and local context are essential.
  • Raising public awareness can help generate demand for action, encouraging local governments to allocate the necessary resources and implement targeted interventions to tackle open waste burning.  

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Communication and advocacy

  • Education and awareness are essential for changing attitudes and are most effective when delivered through a variety of media channels.
  • Cultural context can shape how communities interact with their environment and manage waste so solutions must acknowledge the social fabric of the community and work within it.
  • Open burning can occur in complex socio‑economic context shaped by informal and illegal practices where flexibility and adaptability are essential for effective communication and advocacy. 

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Building inclusive systems

  • Multi‑actor engagement is central for creating change and building inclusive systems for complex challenges such as the open burning of waste. 
  • Inclusivity drives adoption and solutions only work when they are co‑created with communities. 
  • Inclusive systems promote local ownership, thereby strengthening the sustainability of interventions, while also mitigating the disproportionate adverse impacts experienced by women and vulnerable waste workers. 

Download the thematic learning resource

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