KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AMONG PEOPLE OF JALAL COLONY HARBANSPURA, LAHORE
| Main Author: | Rukhsana Kausar, Robina Ashraf, Tahira Shaheen |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article Journal |
| Terbitan: |
, 2021
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| Online Access: |
https://zenodo.org/record/5506671 |
Daftar Isi:
- Introduction: Domestic and municipal waste becomes a source of serious threat to the public health and environment if not properly collected, stored and disposed. Waste is anything which is considered un-useful, surplus and is not perceived of any practical value. This study investigates the knowledge and practices regarding solid waste management in urban population of Lahore. Methods: The study is based on a mixed-method approach. A cross-sectional survey with self-structured questionnaire was used to assess the response for data collection. A total of 200 house representatives were interviewed during the study. Results: The results of the study revealed that 89.0% of households disposed of food debris as waste and 86.5 % disposed of plastic materials as waste. The study also showed that 64.5.0% of the households disposed of their waste at community bins or had waste picked up at their homes by private contractors. The remaining 35.5% disposed of their refuse in gutters, streets, manholes and nearby bushes. Of those who paid for the services of private contractors, 73.0 % were not satisfied with the services because of their cost and irregular collection. About 87% of the respondents believed that improper solids waste handling leads to the spread of water and air borne diseases at community level; particularly typhoid, malaria, cholera, hepatitis and diarrhea. Majority of the inhabitants mostly asked the minors to throw of the refuse mostly after dawn and dusk so that no one notice and object. Conclusion: Public awareness campaigns, health education programmes, installation of extra municipal trash bins and the collection of waste by professional public-private based firms and contractors can help lessen the public exposure and prevent the toxic effects of the solid waste in the community. Keywords: Domestic refuse, Solid waste management, urban population