Colonial legacies and cultural influences on discard behaviour: a systematic review

In the Global South, discarding practices are shaped not only by contemporary debates on circular economies and environmental justice, but also by enduring colonial legacies and cultural influences that continue to structure material flows and social responsibilities. We thematically synthesised 48-peer-reviewed articles on how household-level discard practices are informed by cultural meanings and colonial influences, offering a comprehensive account that bridges fragmented studies into a coherent decolonial perspective. Using the PRISMA methodology and Population, Experience, and Outcome framing, we identified five key themes: the legacies of imposed systems; the gradual erosion of traditional discard practices; religious paradigms of waste; women's invisible labour and stigmatisation; and the rise of informal waste economies in response to municipal voids. After drawing the distinction between waste colonialism and colonial influence on waste in the introductory section, our findings demonstrate how the latter have continued to shape contemporary waste infrastructure and behaviours, often conflicting with local cultural norms and practices. We propose hybrid waste governance models that integrate formal systems with community-based approaches, traditional practices, and informal economies. The review highlights the need to reframe waste management not just as a technical issue but also as a culturally mediated and historically situated practice. This review provides insights into the development of more equitable, effective, and culturally sensitive waste policies in the context of the Global South.