Residents’ Concerns and Attitudes toward Solid Waste Management Facilities Provided by Balangoda Urban Council

Abstract

Solid Waste Management (SWM) in developing cities is big challenge because of increasing of population and arrival of the villagers to city area. A SWM facility should be socially accepted as well as environmentally and economically sound. This study aimed to investigate resident’s concerns attitudes toward SWM facility provided by Balangoda Urban Council (BUC). Deductive reasoning research approach was used to test the hypotheses. Population is considered as 240 residents who receive the facilities of daily waste collections in BUC area. In order to represent all residents in Gorakahamada, Gotugodella, Balagahamula, Kirinthigala,Thumbagoda, Ellepola, Theigashthalawa, Doravela and Town areas, 152 residents were selected from all area using Purposive Sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data related to independent variable such as pollution and its health effect, damage to environment, nuisance, convenience of facility, information disclosure, reliability of institution and personal factors. According to the analysis the hypothesis pollution and its health effect, damage to environment, nuisance, convenience of facility and reliability of institution are accepted and there are positively affect to Resident concerns and attitudes towards Solid Waste Management facilities but information disclosure is not accepted it is only negatively affected. It can be concluded that BUC doesn’t highly consider the resident’s concerns and attitudes on SWM facilities. In order to improve the positive concerns and attitudes of the residents towards SMW, Urban Council should enhance the public participation in SWM programmes, implement public awareness programmes on how to separate degradable and non- degradable waste and they should provide enough facilities to remove daily waste in the proper manner.