Title:
SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Authors:
Doctor Nyarayi Jenipher Makamba

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to outline sociological theories that are relevant to solid waste management. The study was motivated by the observation that the explosion of post-industrial, toxic, and municipal waste is one aspect of the wider discussion of environmental risk and global climate change. In order to go beyond the idea that garbage poses a harmful threat to people, the study employed a sociological perspective to view waste as a social problem. This allowed for a more critical analysis of waste as a reflection of historically and socially established power relations. An analysis of the sociological theories revealed that no other discipline is better suited to combine the terminology and methodologies of studies on social inequality, urban planning, and environmental risks than sociology. The research findings indicate that gender and socio-cultural factors have a significant impact on the formation of solid waste, with socialization processes being crucial in determining attitudes and actions related to waste management. Gender dynamics and garbage generation are closely linked. Women in Africa play a major role in waste management techniques. The study concludes that knowledge from society and social education is profound in comprehending solid waste processes outside the scope of scientific models. Consequently, the assessment of ordinary people’s perceptions and localized knowledge is just as important as theoretical frameworks and scientific teaching.