Sustainable cities through household waste management: an unexplored approach to challenges confronting private solid waste management
ISSN: 0263-2772
Article publication date: 11 January 2022
Issue publication date: 21 February 2022
Abstract
Purpose
In less than a decade to sustainable development goals (SDGs) there is a threat of household waste emanating from sub-urban sprawl especially in developing countries. Private approaches with government-enabling environments have been proved a successful platform for urban services such as housing provision and telecommunication in developing cities. Still private solid waste management (PSWM) seems different in Nigeria. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the possible perceived hindrances facing PSWM organisations and proffer feasible policies to enhance sustainable clean and healthy cities.
Design/methodology/approach
Seven communities within Benin City sub-urban environs were adopted as the study area to accomplish the research’s objectives via a phenomenology type of qualitative research design. The study analysed the collated data from the knowledgeable participants via a thematic approach.
Findings
Lax legislative, absence of institutional framework, inadequate economic motivation, inadequate technical operations, among others, emerged as the encumbrances faced by PSWM firms. Wastes dumped along unethical locations such as streets, roads, uncompleted buildings, culverts and drainage channels, and undeveloped plots emerged as the encumbrance outcomes. Findings show that proffering feasible policy solutions to tackle identified hindrances can promote the achievement of SDGs across semi-urban locations in Nigeria.
Research limitations/implications
This research is restricted to urban household waste management by PSWM within Nigeria. Also, the study identified the challenges and proffer policy solutions to enhance improved clean environment within the sub-urban and urban cities.
Practical implications
As part of this study’s implications, results from this research intend to guide government policymakers and PSWM firms to encourage collaboration in designing appropriate strategic and educational programmes for the householders (customers) in sub-cities. It will be achieved via feasible policies that are tailored towards achieving sustainable health and environment-friendly sub-urban locations.
Originality/value
This paper intends to enhance proper PSWM and create sustainable cities via collaboration. Also, the paper engaged key stakeholders via a qualitative research design to proffer possible solutions to the menace of sub-urban and urban household waste management.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to the participants for providing knowledgeable contributions to enhance the findings of this paper. Also, the authors appreciate the comments, suggestions, and recommendations provided by the anonymous reviewers, which collectively helped hone and strengthen the quality of this manuscript during the blind peer-review process.
Funding: Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment and CIDB Centre of Excellence (05-35-061890), University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
Citation
Ebekozien, A., Aigbavboa, C., Nwaole, A.N.C., Aginah, I.L. and Aigbedion, M. (2022), "Sustainable cities through household waste management: an unexplored approach to challenges confronting private solid waste management", Facilities, Vol. 40 No. 5/6, pp. 365-379. https://doi.org/10.1108/F-09-2021-0078
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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