Knowledge, attitude and practice of household solid waste minimization by residents of Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Effective waste management remains a critical challenge for low and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. Many households in Rivers State still have poor waste minimization practices. This study determined the knowledge and practice of household waste minimization methods among residents in Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHALGA), Rivers State. This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study involving the use of questionnaires and multi-stage sampling of 315 eligible heads of households of PHALGA. The level of knowledge, attitude, and practice to household waste minimization was assessed using a Likert-point scale. Data entry was done using MS-Excel and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. Frequencies and proportions were calculated for categorical variables. The study showed that 19.7% of the respondents had poor knowledge, 48.3% had fair knowledge and 32.1% had good knowledge of household waste minimization. The result showed that 55.6% had a positive attitude while almost all (98.7%) of the respondents had poor waste management practices. This study highlighted that despite participants having a fair knowledge and a favourable attitude towards waste minimization methods, they lacked the practical application of these methods in handling their waste. This observed disparity calls for more public health education, community sensitization, and behavioural change interventions for the residents on the importance of effective household waste minimization practices.