article · Discover Sustainability
Rapid urban growth creates severe challenges for solid waste management in urban areas across low- and middle-income nations. An investigation of four hundred systematically selected women in Debre Markos Town, Ethiopia, examined household practices regarding waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. The survey revealed that only forty-four percent of participants maintained good practices, leaving fifty-six percent with poor waste management habits. Educational attainment proved to be a decisive factor, with women holding a college education being more than eleven times as likely to engage in effective reduction, reuse, and recycling compared to those without formal education. Secondary education, household wealth, and positive personal attitudes towards waste management also independently increased the likelihood of adopting good practices. Addressing these behavioural and socioeconomic determinants through targeted community interventions is essential for improving household solid waste management and meeting broader urban sustainability targets.
Rapid urban growth generates mounting volumes of domestic solid waste that strain municipal systems and harm public health. Understanding the social and economic drivers of household waste reduction, reuse, and recycling helps local authorities design targeted public programmes. Raising community awareness and supporting female education can directly lift participation in sustainable domestic waste habits, protecting local environments and advancing global urban sanitation goals.
The abstract does not indicate a commercialisation pathway or commercial technology, focusing instead on observational survey data to inform public policy. Municipal authorities, urban planners, and community organisations could use these behavioural insights to design targeted waste segregation campaigns and public education drives. The findings represent early-stage social research that supports municipal service design rather than a direct market application.
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Rapid urbanization and increasing household solid waste generation pose major environmental and public health challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Promoting household waste reduction, reuse, and recycling (3R practices) is essential for achieving sustainable urban waste management and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and the sanitation component of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). This study assessed the determinants of household 3R practices among women in an urban community setting in Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 systematically selected women in Debre Markos Town, Ethiopia. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with good 3R practices. Adjusted Odds Ratios (AORs) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) were used to determine the strength of associations, and statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05. Only 44.0% (n = 176) of the women demonstrated good household 3R practices, while 56.0% (n = 224) had poor practices. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that women with a college education or higher (AOR = 11.45; 95% CI 4.68, 28.02) and those with secondary education (AOR = 3.10; 95% CI 1.42, 6.78) were significantly more likely to practice household waste reduction, reuse, and recycling than women with no formal education. Women from wealthier households also had significantly higher odds of practicing the 3Rs (AOR = 4.12; 95% CI 2.15, 7.89). In addition, a positive attitude toward household waste management independently increased the likelihood of good 3R practices (AOR = 3.28; 95% CI 1.95, 5.52). More than half of the women had poor household waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices, indicating a substantial gap in sustainable household waste management. Improving women's education, strengthening socioeconomic conditions, and promoting positive environmental attitudes are critical to enhancing household waste management behaviors. These findings provide evidence to support interventions and policies that advance sustainable urban development, promote responsible consumption and production, reduce environmental pollution, and contribute to achieving SDGs 11 and 12, while supporting the sanitation objectives of SDG 6 through improved household solid waste management.
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DOI: 10.1007/s43621-026-04353-9
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