Household Waste Management Practices Research Articles

Psycho-social conditions of urban communities in the complexity of waste management: Are awareness and waste banks the main solution?

Waste management in urban areas is a critical issue in developing countries. As an environmental awareness emergency country, Indonesia faces significant waste production, particularly in its third-largest metropolis, Bandung. With the majority of its population utilizing cell phones or computers, the city has generated approximately 1500 tons of waste per day in 2022. Even though Bandung is one of the big cities in Indonesia, a staggering 54.7% of the total waste finds its way to landfills, exerting adverse impacts on the economic, social, and public health sectors. The government has pursued remedies through initiatives such as waste banks, collection services, and public education through social media. However, when delving into the intricacies of waste management, the psycho-social conditions of the community should be considered, which are often characterized by an ethos of tireless work, colloquially referred to as “crazy to work” or “hustle culture.” Consequently, waste, including its associated health risks, may be perceived as a marginal concern.This research assessed public environmental awareness and the willingness to contribute to diverse waste management endeavors financially. Such endeavors may be in household waste collection or the establishment of government-operated facilities, such as waste banks and waste collection services within the psycho-social conditions of urban communities. By employing a quantitative approach, the study surveyed 74 heads of urban households in Bandung using convenience sampling techniques and analyzed the data using SPSS tools to address the formulated hypotheses. Results demonstrate the effect of household waste management practices on the environmental awareness of urban communities. Nevertheless, the influence of waste management services, the perspectives of waste bank management, or concerns about infectious waste–related diseases on the environmental awareness of urban communities are generally not substantiated. However, the latter two aspects exert an influence on the community's inclination to support waste collection services financially. In sum, this study suggests that cultural and knowledge factors in Bandung may impede progress in the environmental sector. Therefore, recommendations encompass stringent environmental policies and laws, technological integration, and subsidies for waste reduction efforts in Indonesia's urban waste management practices.

Waste Management through Waste Segregation: Survey Analysis of a North Delhi Locality

Waste generation and its management is a critical crosscutting concern given its impact on health, climate change, poverty reduction, food and resource security, sustainable production and consumption, environment and the concomitant economic costs associated with it. This comprehensive study using data from 708 households of a North Delhi locality examines factors that influence household behaviours related to waste segregation through a multifaceted analysis employing crosstabulation analysis and logistic regression analysis. The research explores factors influencing awareness and adoption of waste segregation practices, providing nuanced insights for effective policy formulation. Key findings highlight the intricate relationships among demographic characteristics, education, awareness, and economic factors in shaping household waste management practices. The analysis of determinants reveals the impact of household size, education levels, and the presence of senior citizens and working members on awareness about waste segregation. Additionally, infrastructure elements, such as the availability of coloured dustbins and waste disposal methods, significantly influence awareness. Waste segregation adoption patterns exhibit diverse influences, with larger households and higher self-reported awareness positively affecting practices. Policy implications derived from the analysis emphasise targeted educational programmes, income-related strategies, and tailored outreach for specific demographic groups. In conclusion, the study underscores the need for a comprehensive, multifaceted approach that considers demographic, educational, and economic factors in waste management policies. The findings contribute to fostering a culture of responsible waste management, offering practical insights for policymakers and communities striving towards environmental sustainability.

Household Waste Management Practices among the People of Shamli District: An Assessment

Solid waste management has turn into a primary environmental issue in India. Improper disposal and waste management have a grim effect on the surroundings and human health condition (physically & mentally). This study aims to assess solid waste management among households of Shamli district. Simple random and systematic sampling techniques were used to select 344 respondents for the study. Simple frequency and percentage method was used to analyze the data. Results indicates that public waste collection area was far from households as endorsed by the majority (51.5%) of the respondents. The majority (51.5%) of the households spanned a distance of more than 15 minutes arriving to the dumping spot. In conclusion, the study found that community household waste dumping zone was outlying from households. This indicates that the distance from the resident place to the final waste disposal area covered more than 15 minutes to complete the journey. Based on the major findings of the study, researcher proposes that district assembly needs to provide waste collection trash to every household. It may oblige the residents not to dispose of their household waste randomly.

Assessment of Household Practices of Solid Waste Management in Jammu City, India

The problem of Solid Waste Management (SWM) has gained recent attention in developing countries. The city of Jammu being a major city of Union Territory (UT) J&K, a prominent tourist and pilgrim site is facing a massive upheaval in the waste generation rates. The city is facing a sharp contrast between increasing generation rates on one hand and inadequacy of funds on the other hand. Jammu city is observed to generate 350-400 Tons per Day (TPD) with a per capita generation of 550 grams per day. The survey shows that residents of the city do not segregate waste at the source, possess inadequate storage facilities and often dump the waste openly without any treatment. They tend to have little knowledge about the efficient practices of waste management, adverse consequences on the environment and public health and the prevailing laws in the state. Thus, the sound planning of waste management study attempts to address the challenges linked to current household waste management practices. The study further recommends resorting to the practice of 3 Rs-Reduce, reuse and recycle, involving households in segregation at the source, making the residents aware of the existing by-laws and encouraging their participation in efficient waste management practices. These practices will act as a driver for behavior change of individuals towards efficient household practices of managing waste.

Legal and socio-economic outlook of waste bank: Environmental pollution and public health assessment in sustainable household waste management practices

The purpose of this study is to investigate and establish a regulatory model for managing household waste with a public health approach. The research employs a statutory approach combined with a comparative methodology to analyze and explore the connections between law and other social institutions. Various laws and regulations are directly associated with waste management, including Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management and other similar legislation. The enforcement of these laws and regulations in waste management relates to three legal systems: structure, substance, and legal culture. The study’s results show that the enforcement of environmental law in waste management is a blend of legal structure, legal substance, and legal culture. It can also be studied from both preventive and repressive sides. The study highlights the importance of implementing sustainable waste management practices to reduce environmental pollution and minimize health risks to the public. Through legal intervention, sustainable waste management practices can become standardized and be effectively enforced, leading to cleaner and safer living environments. The study concludes that preventing and responding to waste management issues requires a comprehensive approach that includes legal measures, as the implementation of laws and regulations plays an essential role in ensuring responsible waste management practices and protecting people’s health.

Household waste management practices from the CGEDA / DST era at SGDS in Cotonou (Republic of Benin)

The problem of household waste management is acute in Cotonou. From the era of COGEDA / DST to SGDS, the unsanitary conditions of household living and neighborhoods are still noticeable. This work aims to describe the household waste management practices in Cotonou from the era of COGEDA / DST to SGDS. The method adopted consisted of conducting questionnaire surveys administered to households in the study area as well as interviews with institutional stakeholders in the management of DMS in Cotonou. At the end of the field work, it was noticed that in the era of COGEDA / DST 34% of households have trash cans, and only 16 % have their garbage removed by the NGOs / SMEs pre-collection of the DSM, against 78 % in the era of SGDS. Regarding the management of wastewater and excreta, nearly half of the households in Cotonou (45%) discharge their domestic wastewater in the courtyard of houses. On-site sanitation is the main mode of excreta collection, with ventilated pit latrines representing the largest percentage (56%). 93% of respondents believe that there is no policy for public sanitation. Hence the notorious insalubrity in certain districts of Cotonou subject to increasing environmental and health risks.

A three-pronged approach to waste composition determination

Understanding solid waste composition has frequently been cited as one of the most valuable resources to those responsible for the proper management of solid waste. The unique contribution of this article lies in the fact that a waste characterisation study, conducted in a remote rural town in South Africa, was combined with an illegal dumping contents mapping and a household survey. This enabled researchers to gain a more thorough understanding of household waste management practices and challenges in this community, bridging the knowledge gap that is created when illegal dumping and household perceptions are omitted from waste characterisation studies in study areas where illegal dumping is an ongoing concern. The study therefore contributes to understanding the waste behaviour of households within the larger context of the town's waste management practices. Results indicate that, in order for municipalities to fully understand how to manage their waste, the contents of illegal dumping, where present, and household surveys should also be included in waste characterisation assessments.

Household Waste Management Practices and Challenges in a Rural Remote Town in the Hantam Municipality in the Northern Cape, South Africa

Waste management in rural areas poses a major challenge to local governments in developing countries. Municipalities face limited budgets and obstacles with the collection of waste, as well as a lack of proper equipment, infrastructure, and treatment centres. These obstacles lead to further problems, such as littering and illegal dumping, contributing to the knowledge base regarding remote and rural towns in South Africa. This study aims to assess the waste management practices and challenges of households in a Municipality in the Northern Cape, South Africa. The study investigates the household waste management practices, identifies the challenges experienced by households regarding their waste management, and explores their willingness to participate in a separation-at-source program. A cross-sectional research design was used along with a mixed methods research methodology. A sample of 160 interviews was completed over the period 16 to 20 September 2019. Descriptive statistics and a thematic analysis were used in the data analysis. The results indicate that municipalities, and households, will have to collaboratively search for solutions towards effective waste management in rural areas. Financial constraints also necessitate the investigation of alternative ways of managing household waste through cooperation with surrounding towns.

HOUSEHOLD ENERGY CONSERVATION, WASTE AND WATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN PORT HARCOURT METROPOLIS, RIVERS STATE

The study examined household energy conservation, waste and water management practices in Port Harcourt Metropolis. The study adopted both primary and secondary sources of data collection. A total of 11 communities were selected through simple random sampling using the balloting technique while 396 respondents were selected across the target communities using the Taro Yamane and proportion allocation method. The study identified proper bagging and making use of designated waste disposal locations as the predominant household waste management practice. In addition, 40.2% of the sampled population made use of energy saving bulbs and appliances as against 59.8% who do not use energy conserving bulbs and appliances. The study also revealed that 45.1% attributed low income and financial earnings while 29.1% attributed insufficient waste storage and disposal containers as the major factors associated with unsustainable household practices. Finally the tested hypotheses at 95% probability level revealed that income and educational status significantly influenced household waste management practice and energy usage respectively. Therefore, the study recommends that adequate awareness against unacceptable household practice like indiscriminate waste disposal should be undertaken.

Factors influencing household waste management practices in Zimbabwe

The management of household solid waste is a growing concern related to public health and environmental damage. The study examined socio-demographic factors, perceptions, and attitudes that influence household waste management practices in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. Stratified and random sampling techniques were used to select 314 participants for the study. Data obtained from the survey were analyzed using descriptive and square Chi-square tests of association. 55.7% of the 25–44 years of age group is responsible for managing waste at a household level. The results of a Chi-square test of independence suggested a strong significant association between gender, and willingness to pay for fortnight waste collection services (X2 (1) = 8.119 p < 0.017). 80.8% of respondents who are self-employed use buckets and plastic bags as waste receptacle facilities compared to 66% who are employed. Results of a fisher test indicate that there is an association between income, and waste receptacle used by participants (X2 (1) = 8.977, p < .03). However, gender, age, and level of education have no association with waste receptacle facilities used by individuals. Environmental planners need to consider socio-demographic status in formulating strategies to improve waste management practices in the developing countries context. The study recommends that local authorities need to promote active community involvement as a driver for behavior change towards sustainable solid waste disposal practices in urban areas.

Solid waste management practices and their meanings in ecologically conscious households

This paper describes the household waste management practices of self-described sustainable households, focusing on the intentional actions the members of these households take to reduce environmental harm. Data from qualitative interviews about household waste management practices related to the disposal of trash, “packaging”, and recycling are analyzed using a Marxist-feminist model of household production. For the households in this study, packaging is a powerful reminder of their collusion with capital, eliciting powerful and unexpected negative reactions in interviews. At the same time, practices that involve allowing organic matter to decompose in the backyard, leaving urine unflushed, or placing human feces in the clothes washing machine or bathtub elicited few negative reactions, and recycling made people feel happy. Packaging and waste are necessary in capitalism because of the spatial division of labor and production, part of the constitutive contradiction between social needs and private production. I show how a division of labor and production that is necessary for accumulation manifests itself in an inherent antagonism toward human well-being in a discussion of the exhaustion, frustration, and conflict generated for highly ecologically oriented parents who are just trying to do their best to live a sustainable life in capitalist society despite the limits to the efficacy of these efforts.

Exploring E-Waste Resources Recovery in Household Solid Waste Recycling

The ecosystem of earth, the habitation of 7.53 billion people and more than 8.7 million species, is being imbalanced by anthropogenic activities. The ever-increasing human population and race of industrialization is an exacerbated threat to the ecosystem. At present, the global average waste generation per person is articulated as 494 kg/year, an enormous amount of household waste (HSW) that ultimately hits 3.71×1012 kg of waste in one year. The ultimate destination of HSW is a burning issue because open dumping and burning as the main waste treatment and final disposal systems create catastrophic environmental limitations. This paper strives to contribute to this issue of HSW management that matters to everyone’s business, specifically to developing nations. The HSW management system of the world’s 12th largest city and 24th most polluted city, Karachi, was studied with the aim of generating possible economic gains by recycling HSWs. In this regard, the authors surveyed dumping sites for sample collection. The sample was segregated physically to determine the content type (organic, metals, and many others). Afterward, chemical analysis on AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry) of debris and soil from a landfill site was performed. HSW is classified and quantified into major classes of household materials. The concentrations of e-waste [Cu], industrial development indicator [Fe], and the main component of lead-acid storage batteries [Pb] are quantified as 199.5, 428.5, and 108.5 ppm, respectively. The annual generation of the aforementioned metals as waste recovery is articulated as 1.2 × 106, 2.6 × 106 and 6.5 × 105 kg, respectively. Significantly, this study concluded that a results-based metal recovery worth 6.1 million USD is discarded every year in HSW management practices.

Predictors of Recycling Intentions among the Youth: A Developing Country Perspective

India is currently facing a mounting challenge related to municipal waste management, due to an increasing urban population, and their high consumption lifestyles. India also has the world’s highest number of young people in the 10–24 years age group. The study applied the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model to predict school students’ recycling intentions in Delhi, the capital of India and one of the highest producers of municipal solid wastes in the country. Data were collected from a school in New Delhi and the sample size consisted of 272 students from 9th and 10th grades. The TPB model explained 56% of the variance in the students’ intentions to recycling. The predictor ‘subjective norm’ appeared to have the strongest impact on the students’ recycling intentions, followed by ‘attitude’ and ‘perceived behavioural control’. It indicated that social factors are driving the Indian youth’s recycling intentions. It is important that the policymakers promote recycling as a social trend in India and provide adequate facilities to the public so that they can participate in recycling activities without facing difficulties. Schools also have a role in increasing students’ awareness of recycling and motivating them to participate in household waste management practices.

The Governmentality of Rural Household Waste Management Practices in Ala Ajagbusi, Nigeria

There is a gap in the literature linking waste management practices to social theory. This paper attempts to bridge this gap through a study of waste management practices in Ala Ajagbusi village, Nigeria. The study explores how members of households in Ala Ajagbusi handle waste. The relevant themes of the empirical findings are categorized and linked to a social theory, Michel Foucault&rsquo;s governmentality. The aim was to investigate how members of the households handle and make sense of their waste management practices. This research adopts a qualitative approach and is inspired by phenomenology. These are the bedrocks upon which the data collection methods are chosen and the interview questions are informed accordingly. The results show that villagers collectively, every week in a rotational manner, sweep their households, dispose of, and burn waste in public spaces. Villagers walk some miles from their households before they can empty their waste receptacles. Sometimes waste management behaviours are adjusted to seasonal variations. The findings also show that the villagers have no engagement with the state and local government concerning waste management. The results are linked to social theory to understand the waste management behaviours of villagers in Ala Ajagbusi.

Multi-method assessment of household waste management in Geneva regarding sorting and recycling

Policymakers apply various policy instruments to meet the objective of resource conservation in the framework of waste policy. The cantonal waste policy of Geneva implements this objective by focussing on sorting of household waste for recycling. Cantonal and municipal authorities use incentive instruments and a mix of infrastructural and persuasive instruments to develop waste sorting for households. However, they have so far failed to reach the objective of a recovery rate of 50% for household waste in Geneva. This study assesses recycling and sorting practices for household waste in Geneva as basis for the formulation of a new improved strategy. This interdisciplinary assessment combines a policy evaluation of the household waste management system over the period 2002–2013 with a situation analysis of the current household waste management practices through a SWOT analysis by using triangulation as the method of data collection. The results of policy evaluation show the effectiveness of incentive instruments (e.g., incineration tax) in encouraging the Genevan municipalities to implement and improve sorting infrastructures and services. Moreover, they demonstrate that a combination of infrastructural (e.g., collection points) and persuasive (e.g., awareness raising campaigns) instruments is effective for enhancing the Genevan household waste sorting practices under certain conditions. The situation analysis identifies the significant internal and external factors that have a positive or a negative influence on household waste sorting and recycling in Geneva. The outputs of the policy evaluation and situation analysis serve to formulate a strategy that is adapted to local specificities. This strategy highlights the necessity for policymakers to avoid unnecessary duplication of the sorting system among the stakeholders and the importance of national authorities for creating framework conditions to encourage the implementation of recycling sectors.

Household-level dynamics of food waste production and related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours in Guelph, Ontario

It has been estimated that Canadians waste $27 billion of food annually, and that half of that waste occurs at the household level (Gooch et al., 2010). There are social, environmental, and economic implications for this scale of food waste, and source separation of organic waste is an increasingly common municipal intervention. There is relatively little research that assesses the dynamics of household food waste (particularly in Canada). The purpose of this study is to combine observations of organic, recyclable, and garbage waste production rates to survey results of food waste-related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours at the household level in the mid-sized municipality of Guelph, Ontario. Waste weights and surveys were obtained from 68 households in the summer of 2013. The results of this study indicate multiple relationships between food waste production and household shopping practices, food preparation behaviours, household waste management practices, and food-related attitudes, beliefs, and lifestyles. Notably, we observed that food awareness, waste awareness, family lifestyles, and convenience lifestyles were related to food waste production. We conclude that it is important to understand the diversity of factors that can influence food wasting behaviours at the household level in order to design waste management systems and policies to reduce food waste.

Income effect or policy result: a test of the environmental Kuznets Curve

Taipei Municipal City (TMC) began implementing a policy of a plastic-bag-based disposal fee for household solid waste treatment in July 2000, while other counties kept their same charge of a disposal fee based on potable water consumption. Taiwan's EPA has highly valued the outcome of TMC's new policy and has thus required all counties to follow TMC in employing a policy of a plastic-bag-based disposal fee accompanied by a compulsory sorting system. We attempt to verify whether the new policy implemented by TMC is successful in the reduction of general waste collected and then we seek to identify what other factors contribute to such a successful result. This paper provides a general overview of household waste management practices employed in Taiwan and the changes of household waste collected over time through simple statistical analysis and management practices, including evaluating waste recovery and recycling initiatives. The authors employ statistical analysis to verify TMC's new policy and to examine the factors that affect its success in addition to the policy changes through a test on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). We separate the data into three groups: TMC, non-TMC regions, and the pooled data (combination of TMC and non-TMC). The results show that: (1) the policy of a plastic-bag-based disposal fee is significantly effective in the reduction of general waste collected; and (2) the per capita household solid waste collected in both regions (TMC and non-TMC) is significantly related with household incomes in an EKC relationship. However, the test of EKC relationships on the pooled data is not significant.

The effect of changing waste management practices on PCDD/PCDF releases from household waste recycling and disposal processes

The paper examines the effect of changes in household waste management practices on releases of PCDDs and PCDFs to air, water and land. Three waste management strategies are examined: landfilling, incineration, and an integrated strategy incorporating materials recovery, composting, incineration and landfilling of residues. With the present mix of waste disposal options, incineration dominates the PCDD/F releases to air, followed by emissions from metal recovery processes and from landfill gas combustion. By the year 2000, anticipated changes in waste management practices and tighter emission standards result in lower overall emissions of PCDD/Fs with broadly comparable contributions from these sources. PCDD/F releases to water are very low. The largest release is to landfill, but the potential for public exposure to PCDD/Fs in landfilled waste is extremely limited.