The Community Roles in Waste Management: A Case Study of Communities in Maha Sarakham Municipality

Abstract

The communities in Maha Sarakham Municipality are expanding rapidly, resulting in a tremendously increasing amount of garbage rising to a critical point. The Municipality must therefore collaborate with the private sector to construct a waste power plant. This article aimed at
1) studying the communities’ attitudes toward solid waste sorting,
2) studying the communities’ roles in solid waste management, and
3) recommending relevant organizations the concept of management of recyclable wastes and value-adding. The overall goal is to respond to the future quantity of waste. The statistical method was applied, and the study was conducted on four targeted communities. The purposive sampling method and criterion-based selection were performed at the meeting with the Office of Public Health and Environment, Maha Sarakham Municipality, to obtain the sample group. The four communities situate in different districts within Maha Sarakham Municipality. The research tools included questionnaires and focus group meetings.

The results showed that people generally agreed with all approaches to solid waste sorting, i.e., sorting for reuse and selling and managing household and community wastes before collection by the Municipality or private businesses. The major problem is that solid wastes are not adequately sorted because people in other areas dump their garbage at the studied sites. To manage the recyclable wastes and value-adding, the government should collaborate with private enterprises–including recyclable waste buyers, fuel manufacturers, compost manufacturers, crop and livestock farmers, and related industries. A system and mechanism should be established for a circular economy among the mentioned businesses. This study would provide a framework of ideas to recommend to relevant organizations for setting garbage management and recycling that creates value and income for the communities.