Assessment of Households’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Solid Waste Management in Nakuru Town

Abstract

A significant obstacle to implementing solid waste management (SWM) in our cities is lack of awareness and limited knowledge on SWM, negative attitudes, poor practices, lack of political goodwill and limited technical and financial capacity. This study was based on Nakuru town. The study aimed to analyse various types of solid waste generated at household levels, assess the attitudes of the households towards existing SWM systems and identify the levels of KAP by the households and the authorities. This study was informed by theory of planned-behaviour which provides a framework for human actions. The theory explains the linkage between the levels of knowledge and attitudes of a society to their behaviour or practices. With the help of the theory, the relationship between household respondents’ knowledge levels, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards SWM was assessed. Systematic random sampling was used to get 380 heads of households from four wards of Nakuru town namely Kaptembwo, Shabaab, Kivumbini and Flamingo. The results revealed that there were two types of household waste namely organic and inorganic. The study findings revealed the respondents had relatively satisfactory knowledge and favourable attitudes, however their level of practice was generally poor. The respondents showed awareness of risks linked to poor SWM such as diseases, flooding, odours and loss of aesthetics. 61% of the residents expressed their willingness to sort their household waste before disposal. Majority (77%) were willing to cater for SWM collection charges. Their practices were contrary to their knowledge and attitude levels due to lack of proper facilities and limited options that would allow them to sort or to recycle their household solid waste. Poor practices documented included dumping of rubbish in open spaces and in drainage channels, burning and burying of solid waste in pits. 95% of the respondents approved the plastic ban effected by the Government since September 2017 citing decreased littering of the environment. Cross-tabulation analysis results revealed that age of respondents had a significant influence on the attitudes associated with SWM activities (95% Cl, X2=138.521; df= 18, P<0.001). The level of education of the residents was found to significantly exert influence on the residents’ level of practices in SWM issues (95% Cl, X2=126.648; df= 22, P<0.001). Insights from the key informant interviews revealed constraints in inter-sectoral collaboration, shortage of infrastructure in collection and transportation of SW services and a section of uncooperative residents; which collectively lead to insufficient logistics. This study recommends that the County governments should invest in SWM infrastructure such as access roads, new landfills and purchase of new garbage trucks and safety wear for waste collectors; waste sorting at the source, promotion of the SWM knowledge by introducing it in school curricula of all levels of education and improved inter-sectoral collaboration of institutions. Attitudes of the community could be improved by engaging residents in SWM activities, outreach and campaigns.