Contexts and consequences of littering: A study on children's littering in the geographical environment of Tehran and its suburbs

Children in Tehran are involved in various forms of work, including garbage collection, which is one of the worst forms of child labour. Scavenging is common among children in Tehran, which is not only harmful to their health but also violates many national and city laws and regulations. This research aims to investigate the contexts and consequences of children's scavenging in Tehran and develop a theory in this area. The grounded theory method was used, and interview and observation techniques were employed to collect data through purposive and theoretical sampling. Additionally, documents and sources in this field were reviewed to build a theory. The research population consisted of children of garbage pickers. A three-step coding method based on the Strauss and Corbin model was used to analyse the data. The findings indicate that economic factors such as poverty and waste economy, socio-cultural factors such as family contexts and social networks, and political factors such as waste management laws and practices have contributed to children's scavenging. Scavengers work within their social networks, which are often exploitative, and their working and living conditions have created vulnerabilities for them and disrupted their effective socialization. Eliminating children's scavenging in Tehran requires a series of policy interventions in Afghanistan and better management of waste collection in Tehran. Suggestions have been presented to address this issue.