Sustainable Municipal Waste Management Improvement in Tehran City through Community Participation

Abstract

The paper examined level of community participation and the relationship between socio-economic background (sex, age and income level) and socio-cultural (the level of awareness, and education level) and community waste practices in Region One municipality of Tehran. This research is based on the theory of different forms of community participation in MSWM, which states that community participation can be categorized at three levels: Individuals’ participation, community groups’ participation, and membership or organizer of community groups. 500 residents were randomly surveyed from the Region One municipality of the Tehran city using structured questionnaire. Data collected were subjected to percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test and Pearson statistical analyses. Findings revealed that Region One had fair level of community participation in the individual waste practice and low level of community participation in collective actions in waste practice. While socio-economics (gender, income) had significant influence on individual actions, male in lower income households were more active in individual waste practice, in collective actions factors had not any significant relation with community participation. Socio-cultural (level of education and level of awareness) factors had not any significant relation with community participation in both individual and collective action forms. The study recommends that more efforts should be taken by community to be involved in MSW activities that will significantly impact the local economy, social, and environment, and as a result will empower and support the cohesion of the community.