Examining the impact of visual prompt and intervention campaign materials on waste sorting: Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) and a mixed-methods approach

This study uses a mixed-methods design to examine university waste management practices, particularly waste sorting on campus. It combines quantitative surveys to assess the baseline perception of knowledge, attitude, and practice and evaluate behavioral changes and patterns among the participants, with experimental studies to examine the impact and effectiveness of the intervention materials. The data for the quantitative approach were collected in two steps: survey 1 (n = 154) and survey 2 (n = 69) participants. The 69 participants in Survey 2 also participated in the experimental study, which employed a within-subjects design. The convenience sampling technique was used to collect the data due to its practicality and efficiency. The survey found that the respondents have a high Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward waste sorting, while a gap was observed between knowledge, perception, and waste-sorting practices. Moreover, visual prompts can bridge these gaps; there was a significant improvement when visual prompts were used to assist waste sorting. Missorted waste dropped from 40.9 % at baseline (Task 1) to 10.2 % after visual prompts (Task 2), with the green bin improving most. Task 3 further reduced errors to 8.3 %, a 32.6-point decrease from baseline. Correspondingly, the observation also emphasised the effectiveness of combining visual prompts and intervention campaign materials to promote waste sorting knowledge and practices. The results of this research contribute to the current state of knowledge and guide policymakers and waste management managers in designing effective waste management strategies. • Positive attitudes and knowledge don’t always lead to proper waste sorting; targeted interventions are needed. • Visual cues improve sorting behavior by guiding action. • Combining visual prompts with educative intervention improves both awareness and practice.