Solid Waste Management practices in Small towns: Implications for Urban sustainability in Ghana

Abstract

The lack of studies on waste management practices in small towns is a major gap given their fastgrowing nature, especially in the global south. The study examines the peculiarities of waste management practices and behaviour choices in a small town and draws implications for urban sustainability trajectories different from the current pathways of megacities. Employing a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 200 households a household survey. The findings indicate that most households preferred to dispose off waste using communal container collection and house-to-house collection, while others preferred to burn and bury their solid waste materials. Only age (p<0.03) of household head was significant in influencing households’ waste collection and disposal methods compared to education (p<0.43) and sex (p<0.21). The findings suggest that the gradual elimination of communal container collection and intensification of house-to-house collection with an appropriate fee policy can put small towns on the right trajectory for urban sustainability.