Abstract:
The objective of the study was to examine solid waste management (SWM) at
household level and its impact on sustainable environmental protection. Specifically,
it determined household SWM methods for sustainable environmental protection,
determined household roles on SWM, and examined household SWM limitations.
The study adopted a cross-sectional research design by including 102 respondents.
Documentary review, Questionnaires and key informant interviews were employed
to collect data. Data were analysed using thematic analysis, descriptive and binary
regression methods. Findings revealed plastic, food and paper wastes as the common
wastes generated in the study area. The SWM practices differ from one household to
another based on income, marital status, awareness, household concern and
neighbourhood relationships. The SWM system was found to be a factor with a
strong influence on sustainable environment protection. The results were statistically
significant at p= 0.001. Applied SWM strategies in the study area were found to be
significant at p= 0.001, Wald = 2.532 and Exp (β) = 1.876. The findings also
revealed that fines, fees and penalties on improper SWm had significant influence on
sustainable environment protection at p= 0.000. The findings revealed that in the
study area: sorting, burning, burying, dumping and resale of the generated solid
waste were the common applied approaches. Heads of the households play the
following roles: ensuring availability of waste containers, tightening the waste
containers well and reminding the household members on proper disposals of the
wastes. The study concluded that the majority of households in Njoro Ward were
unaware of the benefits of SWM for sustainable environmental protection. SWM
practices in the study were negatively impacted by a number of factors. Household
heads were more worried about SWM in their own homes than in their areas or
neighbours. The factors that have been researched in SWM are directly related to
variations in the SWM techniques used in the study area. Additionally, it was noted
that in the research area, some of the crucial SWM techniques for long-term
environmental conservation were not being used because of a lack of understanding
of how to do so. It recommended frequent and periodic awareness-raising
mentorship sessions among households on sustainable SWM, emphasising the need
for SWM service providers to promptly and consistently provide the services to
make the areas clean, appealing, and safe for the wellbeing of residents.
