scholarly journals Public Perceptions of Waste Management in Sri Lanka: A Focus Group Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 12960
Author(s):  
Sophie Gudmann Knutsson ◽  
Therese Asplund ◽  
Gunnar Höst ◽  
Konrad J. Schönborn
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Household Waste Management ◽  
Waste Management Practices

The prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse of waste is promoted by the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, but many countries lack both necessary resources and infrastructure for sound waste management. While literature pinpoints the need for an engaged public and suggests a range of factors and supportive actions that may impact citizens’ waste behaviour, qualitative in-depth studies for engaging in waste management practices remain scarce. This study aimed to investigate perceptions of waste management and underlying behaviours for waste practices in the context of household waste management in Sri Lanka. Six focus group interviews were held with 23 residents across 6 regions in Sri Lanka. A thematic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed perceptions of four waste management systems, together with five motivational aspects of waste practices in urban, suburban, and rural areas. The analysis further considers how the motivational aspects are interlinked with practices within citizens’ perceived systems. In addition to the novel thematic contribution to the field, the findings can be used as a foundation to inform strategies to communicate with selected target audiences about their local challenges for sustainable waste management practices, in an attempt to influence citizen behaviours.

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

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 5903
Author(s):  
Jacoba M. M. Viljoen ◽  
Catherina J. Schenck ◽  
Liza Volschenk ◽  
Phillip F. Blaauw ◽  
Lizette Grobler
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
Willingness To Participate ◽  
Northern Cape ◽  
Household Waste Management ◽  
Waste Management Practices

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.

scholarly journals A revised approach for estimating informally disposed domestic waste in rural versus urban South Africa and implications for waste management

2020 ◽  
Vol 116 (1/2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Rodseth ◽  
Philippa Notten ◽  
Harro von von Blottniz
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
Management Option ◽  
Waste Generation ◽  
Domestic Waste ◽  
Illegal Dumping ◽  
Waste Management Practices

A major limitation to improved waste management in South Africa lies in the paucity of reliable waste data and the exclusion of the contribution of the informal sector from reporting. Due to the disparity in the provision of formal waste management services across households in South Africa, omission of the quantified contribution of informal management practices leads to an inaccurate representation of waste management practices in existing waste data repositories. Given the potentially adverse social and environmental consequences of unregulated waste management practices, a lack of representation thereof has the potential to underestimate impacts. As of 2015, 31% of households are reported as lacking a basic refuse removal service; however, this number cannot necessarily be applied directly to waste quantities, given the regional and socio-economic differences that occur in per capita waste generation rates. The total quantity of domestic waste in South Africa and fraction disposed informally are estimated here, taking into account differences in waste generation rates based on income and settlement type. The characterisation and quantification of unregulated waste streams is beneficial in assessing the magnitude of the problem and, where necessary, identifying mitigation action. The results obtained show that 29% (3.67 million tonnes per annum) of domestic waste generated is not collected or treated via formal management options. Of this waste, the majority (85%) is generated in rural areas. The most common waste management option for unserviced households is a private dump. An estimated 94% of households in unserviced rural areas make use of private dumps, while in unserviced urban and metro areas this decreases to 74% and 71% of households, respectively. Illegal dumping is the next most common waste management option for unserviced areas. The proportion of household waste disposed of via illegal dumping ranges from an estimated 5% for unserviced rural households to 27% in metro areas with the balance made up by ‘other’ disposal/treatment options.

Solid waste management practices and their meanings in ecologically conscious households

2020 ◽  
pp. 251484862096041
Author(s):  
Kirstin Munro
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Division Of Labor ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
Environmental Harm ◽  
Household Waste Management ◽  
Waste Management Practices

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.

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

Recycling ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pradipta Halder ◽  
Harminder Singh
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
New Delhi ◽  
Municipal Solid Wastes ◽  
School Students ◽  
The Public ◽  
Tpb Model ◽  
Household Waste Management ◽  
Waste Management Practices

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.

Population Growth and Waste Management in Metropolitan Lagos

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Femi O. Omololu ◽  
Akinmayowa S. Lawal
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Public Private Partnership ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
Waste Generation ◽  
Private Partnership ◽  
The Public ◽  
Lagos State ◽  
Waste Management Practices

This paper examines the influence of population growth on waste generation in Lagos metropolis, African’s most populous urban conglomeration. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, the study analyses the pattern of household waste disposal, collection and transportation in Lagos State. It also examines the public-private partnership strategy adopted in waste management. The findings show that population growth significantly influences waste generation and management in Lagos metropolis. As the population increased, the volume of waste generated also increased in each LGA of Lagos State. The public-private partnership strategy has been effective in managing waste, but the Lagos State Waste Management Authority oversight was adjudged as less than satisfactory. The paper concludes that intervention is needed in terms of educating the growing population of the Lagos metropolis on the best waste management practices. It highlights the need for a more efficient and effective publicprivate partnership collaboration to solve this perennial social problem.

scholarly journals Assessment of biowaste losses through unsound waste management practices in rural areas and the role of home composting

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florin Constantin MIHAI
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Sustainable Rural Development ◽  
Greenhouse Gasses ◽  
Waste Management Practices ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Home Composting ◽  
Management Issues

The paper examines the biowaste management issues across rural areas ofRomania in the context of poor waste management infrastructure in the lastdecade (2003-2012). Biowaste is the main fraction of municipal waste, thusa proper management is a key challenge in order to sustain a bioeconomy inthe near future. The amount of biowaste generated and uncollected by wasteoperators is generally uncontrolled disposed if not recovered through homecomposting. The paper points out the role of home composting in divertingthe biowaste from wild dumps and landfills for the regions covered or notby waste collection services. Home composting and the biowaste losses arefurther assessed based on several scenarios (worse-case, pessimistic,realistic, optimistic) where the net loads of greenhouse gasses (GHG) arecalculated at national and regional levels. The transition of homecomposting techniques, from open piles to plastic bins with respect tostandard guidelines will improve the home composting performance in termsof compost quality and net GHG’s savings, supporting a bio-based economywhich will lead towards a sustainable rural development. Regionaldisparities are revealed across Romanian counties and the paper opens newresearch perspectives regarding which options should be adopted by countiesand rural municipalities in the biowaste management process.

scholarly journals POPULATION PATTERN AND HOUSEHOLD WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN RELATION TO BIO-PHYSICOCHEMICAL WATER QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS IN THE NAGA RIVER

2021 ◽  
pp. 100-105
Author(s):  
Mariel R. Estrella
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Water Quality Assessment ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Household Waste ◽  
Large Household ◽  
Population Pattern ◽  
Waste Management Practices ◽  
Ph Level

Rapid population growth and urbanization over the years has put pressure on natural resources threatening various fragile ecosystems. Naga river in the Philippines became a mute witness to the adverse effects of human activities on its waters. The present study took into account the waste management practices of households along the Naga river to elucidate its relation to the bio-physicochemical state of the river. The comparative analysis of water quality assessment data indicates that there is an observable deterioration of water quality due to its decreased level of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and above normal pH level. This can be attributed to the continued practice of the households of throwing and discharging 34% and 78% of their solid and liquid wastes, respectively, directly into the river. However, there is a trend of improvement in the Naga river's water quality in terms of other parameters. The study also revealed that the size of built up areas and the household population along the Naga river is not necessarily proportional. Land use and the large household population along the Naga river was found to have higher adverse impacts on the water quality and current state of the Naga river. KEYWORDS: Naga River, water quality, waste management, community survey

Factors Affecting the Hazardous Waste Management Practices in Heavy Industries

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 108-118
Author(s):  
Kennedy Degaulle Gunawardana ◽  
Chamari K. Jayasinghe ◽  
A. D. Nuwan Gunarathne
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Hazardous Waste ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Hazardous Waste Management ◽  
Company Policy ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Waste Management Practices ◽  
Industry Sectors

Among the different types of waste, hazardous waste poses a serious challenge to humans and the environment if not properly managed. Although many industries generate hazardous waste in various degrees, heavy industries generate the largest volume of hazardous waste. While hazardous waste management (HWM) has been studied well in many industry sectors and countries, it is not so with heavy industries in developing countries. The purpose of this paper was therefore to identify the factors affecting the HWM practices in heavy industries in Sri Lanka. The data was collected from 40 companies in ten different industrial categories of heavy industry. The respondent was the environmental officer of each company. The analysis reveals that technological facilities, public resistance, company policy, and economic factors affect the HWM practices in heavy industries in Sri Lanka. This study has several policy level and managerial implications for HWM in heavy industries to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development.

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