Abstract
Municipal waste collectors are exposed to numerous hazardous substances during the process of collection, transportation and the disposal of municipal solid wastes, resulting in occupational health and safety risks including mortality and morbidity. An efficient and safe municipal solid waste collection system is vital to protect the environment, the community and the workers involved. Therefore, a training module was developed based on the needs analysis, and after conducting a series of training and awareness programmes, personal protective equipment was distributed to all the 115 municipal waste collectors in Galle Municipal Council, the provincial capital of Southern Province of Sri Lanka. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of those project interventions. A questionnaire survey, key informant discussions and expert observations were used as primary data collection tools, while secondary data were gathered from various reports. Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices (KAP) questionnaire was used to evaluate the conditions of 115 municipal waste collectors before and after conducting the training programme and distributing the personal protective equipment. The interventions made by conducting the training programme described in this study had effectively created a significant improvement in knowledge, attitude and practices of the respondents (p < 0.05). Personal protective equipment distributed has resulted in an increase of dignity among the waste collectors giving them recognition by both Galle Municipal Council and the general public of the area.
Highlights
Waste disposal has become a burning issue in all parts of the world, and Sri Lanka is not an exception
Municipal solid waste collection is a challenge in any country
It is a task that demands various forms of support such as training and non-training interventions to enhance adoption of self-protective behaviours among the Municipal Waste Collectors (MWCs) engaged in the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management
Summary
Waste disposal has become a burning issue in all parts of the world, and Sri Lanka is not an exception. In GMC, almost one half of the urban wastes are collected, which are in a mixed state Since, they are not separated at the point of disposal, metal particles (e.g. nails, needles, etc.), broken glass particles, chemicals, and other hazardous substances can cause serious injuries to the MWCs. For instance, Mudalige and Dharmathilake (2000) reported that skin cuts and needle prick injuries are common among the MWCs attached to the Western Province of Sri Lanka. Mudalige and Dharmathilake (2000) reported that skin cuts and needle prick injuries are common among the MWCs attached to the Western Province of Sri Lanka They pointed out that the health problems like back pain, traumatic injuries, itchy rash, cough, wounds and exposure to toxins are quite common among the Western Province MWCs. A study conducted in Colombo had found that about 40% of the waste collectors suffer from various injuries and diseases but had not been recorded to have received proper medical treatment (Silva, 1987). Out of the waste collection related injuries, 29.8% were reported as fatal injuries in 2010, and waste collection was reported to be the seventh most dangerous job in the United States (Biderman, 2010)
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