Abstract
The domestic solid waste stream composition of urban settings in many developing countries including Uganda is largely biodegradable in nature, and thus, composting provides the most suitable solid waste management option for these wastes. However, there is limited information about waste composting at the household level and associated determinants in Uganda. A cross-sectional study was employed to collect quantitative data from 368 residents of Masaka municipality, Central Uganda. A semistructured interviewer administered questionnaire was used which assessed knowledge, perceptions, and practices of composting. Data were analysed using STATA 13.0, and binary logistic regression was used to determine the factors that influence composting at the household level. Of the 368 participants, 11.4% were engaged in composting. Factors associated with household level composting were age of 46 years and above (aOR = 2.69, 95% CI = (1.06–6.80)), possession of a garden (aOR = 28.88, 95% CI = (3.85–216.72)), engagement in waste segregation (aOR = 5.56, 95% CI = (2.25–13.86)), and periurban residence (aOR = 3.81, 95% CI = (1.78–8.16)). The practice of composting at the household level was low. This therefore highlights the need for urban authorities to develop initiatives for promoting composting at the household level while considering the identified predictors associated with composting.
Highlights
Improper management of domestic solid waste remains one of the major environmental health challenges facing most urban centers globally [1]
Urban centers generate at least 1.3 billion tons of solid waste globally per year, and this is projected to increase to 2.2 billion tons by 2025 [2]
Composting as a solid waste management approach is very relevant in the highly populated urban areas of low-income countries which are characterized by limited waste handling facilities [7, 8]
Summary
Improper management of domestic solid waste remains one of the major environmental health challenges facing most urban centers globally [1]. The solid waste composition in such urban centers is largely organic in nature, and composting provides the most suitable form of recycling [14]. Composting of these organic wastes is still small-scale and insignificant, often practiced by a few households and mostly for individual household gardens [15]. The use of household solid waste for making compost is a growing form of recycling organic wastes and as an alternative to artificial fertilisers in Uganda, there is paucity of information regarding the adoption of this practice and the factors that might encourage urban households to adopt it. The use of household solid waste for making compost is a growing form of recycling organic wastes and as an alternative to artificial fertilisers in Uganda, there is paucity of information regarding the adoption of this practice and the factors that might encourage urban households to adopt it. is study aimed at understanding the practice of composting and the associated factors among households in Masaka municipality, Uganda
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