PLASTIC WASTES DISPOSAL IN THE WAWASUA COMMUNITY IN THE SUNYANI MUNICIPALITY, BONO REGION

Abstract

Plastic waste management has been a major challenge globally owing to its far-reaching effects on public health and the environment. The study was aimed at assessing plastic waste management and plastic waste use behaviour in the Wawasua Community in the Sunyani Municipality. A total of 30 households were randomly selected for the study. The study revealed that, 70% of the respondents had formal education whilst 30% did not. It further revealed that, all of the respondents use plastics and 60% of them have heard about solid waste management whilst the remaining 40% have not. Schools (23.3%) and Mass media (20%) were the major source of information about waste management. Only 36.7% of the respondents reuse plastic waste with about 83.3% of the respondents disposing of plastics through open dumping or burning. In contrast, about 76.7% of the respondents’ own waste bins. In terms of proximity of disposal sites, 80% of the respondents travel a distance between 301m – 1km to dispose of waste. All the respondents alluded that communal waste bins in the community were rusted/perforated (30%) and too small (70%). Low-Density Polyethylene (PE) and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) each represented 30% of the plastic waste composition in the study area. In terms of knowledge and perceptions about plastic waste, majority of the respondents demonstrated awareness of the effects of improper plastic waste management. It is therefore recommended that public education on plastic waste disposal should be intensified to increase household awareness and implementation of sustainable waste management systems.