A survey of Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Tehran residents regarding solid waste management in the COVID-19 era

This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of residents in Tehran City towards municipal solid waste management (MSWM) after the Corona Virus Disease 2019 caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) epidemic, which has been tended for the first time in this research. The study was conducted in Tehran, Iran from August 2021 to March 2022. The study population consisted of 385 participants drawn from 22 urban areas in Tehran. In order to collect the data, self-administered questionnaires containing 20 questions in 3 subject areas were used. Testing for associations between variables was conducted using Chi-square (χ2) and Pearson correlation analyses. Despite the fact that 64.9% and 56.6% of residents had adequate knowledge and attitude regarding MSW management during the COVID-19 pandemic, only 33.1% performed moderate practice. Obtained results highlighted the correlation between education, employment, gender, and age of respondents with KAP levels on (MSWM) (P<0.05). The training was found to be an important tool to enhance residents’ awareness and attitude, but strict MSW legislation must also be implemented to restart appropriate separation, recycling, and composting programs during the pandemic. The findings of this study in turn can serve as a basis for experts and decision-makers to develop pragmatic waste management strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic, which rely on the participation of the general public.