Environmental sustainability an assessment of waste management behaviour and practices on some campuses of University of Education, Winneba

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the environmental issues on some campuses of the University of Education, Winneba, particularly, on areas pertaining to waste management behaviour and practices. The study was carried out in Kumasi, Winneba and Mampong Campuses of the University. All staff and students of University of Education were the target populations but 734 participants were sampled from the accessible population. Questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions and Document Analysis were used as instruments for data collection. Data collected were subjected to descriptive analysis using SPSS Version 16.0. Data analysed were converted into cross tabulation, frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. Again, Chi-square, t-test, ANOVA and multiple comparison tests were employed to examine the hypothesis and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The results revealed that the staff and students of University of Education, Winneba had knowledge, and were aware of the waste problems on their various campuses. This was confirmed by 70% of the respondents who agreed to the waste problems as well as the poor waste management practices on their campuses. The major contributors to pollution and waste on the campuses as identified by the study were open burning (Mean, 2.40) and falling off posters (Mean, 2.42). Land filling (Frequency, 134.7) was indicated to be the main waste disposal method. Also, the study showed that propensity of waste management contrasts by sex, class and level of awareness, knowledge and practices regarding waste. These findings have great implications for waste management practices, not only in the educational institutions but the country at large. It highlighted on the need to increase awareness and re-echo the need for behavioural and attitudinal change which is a catalyst to waste reduction, reuse and recycling.