COGNITIVE DOMAINS OF COMMUNITIES ON MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN METU TOWN, SOUTH-WEST ETHIOPIA

Urban waste management is drawing increasing attention in emerging cities of Ethiopia. Accurate and reliable information on cognitive domains of communities is a very important element for efficient and effective planning of solid waste management (SWM) system. Therefore, we assessed the cognitive domains of communities on SWM system in Metu town. A cross-sectional study design and simple random sampling technique was employed on 252 households (HHs), and 65 commercials and institutions (CIs). Data was collected through face to face interview using a structured questionnaire and checklist. A survey from sampled HHs and CIs revealed that 79.8% of HHs and 38.5% of CIs were separately stored solid wastes, capable of being sold and/or exchanged. Nevertheless, 26.2% of HHs and 94.6% of CIs didn't practice recycling and reusing of solid waste, only 24.2% of HHs is currently doing home composting as recycling. Out of the total, 19.8% HHs and 16.9% of CIs were accessed to door to door municipal solid waste collection service, 75% of the HHs and 80% of CIs were used Micro and small scale enterprize (MSE) for door to door solid waste collection service. The vast majority of the communities in Metu town unsatisfied by the service rendered by municipality and MSE, only 1.2% of HHs and 3.1% of CIs respondents were 'satisfied' with solid waste collection services of the municipality. In general, the town should emphasize the cognitive domains of communities to improve SWM activities by promoting waste segregation, recycling/reusing, and providing waste transfer stations with collection containers.