Market-based waste segregation and waste bin siting suitability studies using GIS and multi-criteria evaluation in the Kumasi Metropolis

Abstract

This study examined the readiness and motivation of market women to separate solid waste in the Central Business Districts (CBD) of Kumasi. Multiple non-probability sampling techniques were adopted to sample 156 respondents. The results obtained were analysed using SPSS. From the study, 81.4% of market women were willing to sort their waste provided there are proper infrastructures such as separate waste bins. Also, 85.3% of the women also indicated that training and educating them on the consequences of sorting waste will have a great impact on their attitudes to participate. A Relative Importance Index (RII) assessment of the reasons why waste sorting was done, the highest index (RII = 0.87) was recorded for environmental protection. The second highest order of reason for sorting waste by the women was related to personal hygiene (RII = 0.86) whereas reduce proliferation of landfills recorded (RII = 0.85) as the third highest index. The fourth and fifth reasons were that it will be easier to produce manure from sorted waste and fulfilment to mankind with RII of 0.77 and 0.58 respectively. A spatial multicriteria evaluation was performed to select suitable sites for the waste bins for the CBD. A total of 192 suitable locations were identified for waste bins in the three business districts. It is recommended that proper waste management equipment (colour-coded bins) are provided in the CBD bin as a motivating mechanism for waste segregation.