Households Waste Management Practices and Associated Factors in Tain District, Ghana

Bonaventure Bayor; Edward Wilson Ansah; Michael Afari Baidoo

doi:10.21467/ajss.9.1.36-42

Authors

Bonaventure Bayor Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER), University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast
Edward Wilson Ansah Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER), University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9450-7774
Michael Afari Baidoo Department of Health Administration and Education, University of Education, Winneba

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21467/ajss.9.1.36-42

Abstract

Objective: Rapid population growth has increased tons of waste generated daily in the various Ghanaian districts. A total of 9,331kg of household waste is generated daily in the Tain District, but managing it becomes a challenge. The aim of the study was to investigate households’ waste management practice in the Tain District of Ghana.

Method: A concurrent mixed method design was used to select four major communities in the Tain District for the study. A sampled of 1,037 female household heads were selected by convenient sampling for the qualitative and quantitative data collection. A questionnaire, participant and community observation were used to collect the data. Frequencies, percentages, logistic regression and observational interpretations were applied in analysing the data.

Results: Many gutters at homes were clogged, bushy environment and littering of home, and that, there were limited waste bins and containers available, and waste dumpsites were near community gathering places. Furthermore, the main household generated wastes included food scraps (41%), but majority of the participants use public dumpsite (76.37%) for waste disposal. Meanwhile, 825(8%) of the households have high level of knowledge on the health effects of indiscriminate waste disposal.

Conclusions: It is necessary to demarcate dumpsites away from community gathering places. The crude dumping places cannot contain the increase in waste production, which results in indiscriminate dumping of waste. Proper measures including regulations and standards are expected to be implemented for a more effective and efficient integrated waste management system in the district.

Keywords:

Households, Solid waste, Waste management

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