Status of Waste Management Among Horticultural Processing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya

Abstract

Horticultural recycling Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Kenya use raw agrarian yield to induce large amounts of solid and liquid waste. Waste operation includes the conditioning and conduct needed to manage wastes from commencement to its final disposal. These include collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste, and monitoring and regulating the waste operation. Shy and unhappy knowledge of the running of horticultural wastes may have serious health counteraccusations and a significant impact on the terrain as well. This is so because if people retain good knowledge of waste operations, they can cover themselves from contagious conditions and clean the terrain. Still, there's limited information on knowledge, station, and current waste operation practices among horticultural processing MSMEs in Kenya. Towards this line, the current exploration is to assess waste operation's influence among horticultural processing MSMEs on environmental operations in Kenya. With the help of a descriptive research design, basic information was gathered using structured questionnaires from forty-four (44) trained and Certified Horticultural processing MSMEs in Kenya derived from Nairobi, Central and Western regions after undergoing various training on waste management. The results indicated that most (90.3%) of those engaged in horticultural processing MSMEs businesses are married, affirming the family-oriented business tier model. The results showed that, before training for the MSMEs, their level of knowledge on reducing the quantity of waste and waste management was at 58% and 68%, respectively. The study established a significant association (p<0.05) between capacity building and waste management among horticultural processing MSMEs. Among the parameters measured, capacity building had the most impact on the respondents with a positive paradigm shift of behaviour and responsibility towards waste management only after undertaking specialised training. The respondents indicated that improper waste disposal has adverse effects and harms their environment (71%); their workplaces and neighbourhoods ought to be clean. About 83.9% segregated their waste, and 93.5% were not ISO 14001 certified. The respondent's knowledge of waste reduction showed that most MSMEs employ the principles of reuse and waste minimization to manage wastes at 52% and 45%, respectively. This was followed by recycling at 19% and Energy recovery at 16%. The result further indicated an association (p<0.05) of attitude and practices on waste management among Horticultural processing MSMEs. Therefore, there is a need to enhance knowledge through training towards sustainable consumption and production practices (SCP) among the horticultural processing MSMEs in Kenya. Results on Quantities of wastes generated by the horticultural processing MSMEs surveyed indicated that horticultural crop residues were the main contributor of wastes generated at 48% with a mean value of 3.355 and standard deviation of 1.199, followed by wastewater at 42% with a mean and Standard Deviation of M=3.194 and Std. Dev.=1.167 respectively. The results on awareness of Laws and regulatory frameworks governing waste management, the privilege of clean enough, safe drinking water and that there are penalties for violation of laws and regulations regarding improper waste disposal were; 93.5%, 100% and 96.8%, respectively. The regression analysis results on awareness and compliance with laws and regulatory frameworks on waste management among the horticultural processing MSMEs surveyed in Kenya showed a p-value of p<0.05 level, while the Standardized Beta Coefficient of 0.686, t=0.335. Therefore, there is a need to enhance knowledge through capacity building on waste management and implementation of legal and regulatory frameworks on waste. This will enhance the rapid-fire relinquishment of Sustainable Consumption and Production Practices (SCP) among the horticultural processing MSMEs within the Kenyan Territory.