WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND IMPACTS ON COMMUNITY RIVERS IN THE NSAWAM ADOAGYIRI MUNICIPALITY

Abstract

This study investigated domestic solid waste management practices and its impacts on community rivers in the Nsawam Adoagyiri municipality. Semi-structured questionnaires were designed and administered to 100 respondents conveniently selected from five major towns in the municipal. Data collected was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS) Software. The study identifies six general waste management practices in the Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipal with the majority of respondents (81.0%), indicated door-to-door waste collection as the most practiced, followed by community-led waste collection drive (57.0%), waste burning (55.0%), public waste bin use (54.0%), open dumping (50.0%) and informal waste picking/recycling (48%). However, analysis of domestic solid waste disposal methods used by the respondents showed that 34.1% of the respondents representing majority use the open dumping method, followed by use of public waste bins (29.3%), burning (27.6%), door to door waste collection (3.3%), informal recyclers/pickers (2.4%) and 0.8% each for compositing, dumping in gutters, use of backyard pits and community dumping site. Again, the study revealed that only a small percentage of participants (30.0%) segregates their solid waste into different categories before disposal. The study also revealed nine reasons for the choice of a particular domestic solid waste disposal methods. The two topmost reasons were; those are the only available disposal methods and it is convenient and free. Also, the study revealed that 72.0% of respondents representing the majority specified that many used the community river side as waste dumping site which has affected the quality of the water body and it life forms. The aforementioned findings offer valuable insights into the practices and challenges of waste management within the municipality, hence it is recommend that adequate supply of waste bins, regular collection of waste, and enforcement of waste management regulations, including fines and penalties should be implemented as well as encourage river clean-up activities through organized events and volunteer programs.