<p>Increasing amount of municipal solid waste is a growing global concern harming the health of the humans and animals and affecting the sustainability of the environment. While citizens are expected to take responsibility for waste sorting and segregation, limited engagement, lack of awareness, and dependency on others often hinder effective waste management at the source. This study aims to understand participants’ perceptions of waste segregation and management using a photovoice-based crowdsourcing approach. Through qualitative analysis of photographs and accompanying narratives submitted in a national contest, we explored how individuals interpret waste-related challenges, their motivations or barriers to action, and developed a conceptual framework. While many participants demonstrated awareness of the consequences of poor waste management and advocated for the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle, a key theme that emerged was the lack of community participation and engagement. The conceptual framework was mapped against the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability-Behaviour model to contextualize and highlight the interaction of attitudes, perceived norms, and abilities. This study highlights the utility of participatory, photovoice-driven methods in shaping effective and inclusive waste management strategies.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>