Title:
RESIDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF WASTE AND WASTE MANAGEMENT IN URBAN COUNCILS: CASE OF CHEGUTU MUNICIPALITY, ZIMBABWE

Authors:
Nyarayi Jenipher Makamba and Emmanuel Chinamasa

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to explore urban council residents’ perceptions of waste and its implications for cooperative waste management strategies in Chegutu Municipal area. The study was motivated by the observation that, urban council residents generate waste which their local authorities are unable to manage. The study was guided by the pragmatism philosophy. It facilitated the collection of data by mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. Data collection started by visits to residential areas in 9 wards to verify problem magnitude. Purposive samples of 65 residents’ from 9 wards responded to questionnaires to capture perceptions. A focus group of 15 residents from each ward collected group perceptions and possible cooperative waste management strategies. Five municipal workers and 18 vendors were interviewed. Document analysis of municipal statutes provided the legal framework for the integrated waste management strategy. A hypothesis test confirmed that, residents’ perceptions were associated with residents’ residential area. The study found that: Residence perceived only solid waste as waste. They could categorize it as paper, plastics, glass, metals, rubber and rarely leaves. The vehicle informal sectors operating garages anywhere were identified as the largest source of metal waste. Since liquid and chemical wastes were not considered as waste, no strategies were suggested for their management. The study recommends awareness campaigns for the different types of waste (emphasis on liquid waste), how they are generated, their toxicity and an integrated waste management system based on 3R principles of reduce, reuse and recycle. Specifically, the study educates residents to: reduce waste generation, separate solid waste, sell recycled material, composite and bin the rest for council incineration and/or land filling