Assessment of solid waste management practices in Kebridehar city Somali regional state, Ethiopia

In developing countries, solid wastes are not collected and thus discharged into open spaces and drains. The consequences of this event have an impact on human life as well as the environment. The aim of this study was to assess the existing solid waste management practices, as well as sources, types, and determining characteristics of solid waste in the study area. Simple random and purposive sampling methods, respectively, were employed to select 3 sample kebeles and 160 respondents. The data were analyzed in SPSS version 26 using descriptive statistics and an econometric model. The binomial logistic model was used to determine the factors that influence solid waste management activities. The results indicated that Plastics/bags/bottles, food waste, paper/carton, tins/cans, and glasses were the major types of solid wastes in the study area. The majority (45%) of the respondents identified plastics as the dominated solid waste in Kebridehar city. Gender, marital status, and occupation had insignificant negative effects on solid waste management practice. Age (p = 0.030) and distance (p = 0.000) from the center of town, on the other hand, had statistically significant effects on solid waste management practice. The majority of respondents (76.2%) had not received any information regarding the effects of solid wastes on the environment and human life. Beside this, there were no solid waste public bins within walking distance of their residences. In conclusion, the study found that communities were not aware regarding the impacts of solid wastes on the environment; there were no solid waste public bins near the residence of communities at all. Depending on the major findings of the current study, the authors recommend that the city administration should install trash bins near the residences of the communities. The city municipalities should provide training for the communities regarding environmental and human health, the impacts of the solid wastes.