ASSESSMENT OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND ROLE OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN METTU TOWN, ETHIOPIA

Solid waste management has become a major public health and environmental concern in urban areas of Ethiopia. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the status of the existing solid waste management and to assess the attitude and role of the community in Mettu town. In order to accomplish these objectives, both primary and secondary data were gathered and analyzed by descriptive statistics. The sample size included of 96 members of households, business owners, kebele leaders, municipal workers, solid waste collectors and health extension workers who were selected randomly. Based on the data that generated from the respondents municipal solid waste management system is very weak in terms of status, spatial coverage, community involvement, and solid waste management facility. Among 96 about 84 (87.5%) respondents are not satisfied with the existing solid waste management. The communities participate very careless to clean their front yards, street and see it as the responsibility of the municipality. This poor status of solid waste management is intensified by poor contribution of stakeholders. Therefore, the government should be engaged in awareness creation and training all communities and stakeholders to upgrade the existing low status of solid waste management services in Mettu town. © 2023 Widener University School of Civil Engineering. All rights reserved.