Residents' Perceptions and Intentions on Solid Waste Source Separation and Composting Initiatives in Accra

The city of Accra is confronting escalating waste management issues driven by rapid urbanisation. These
challenges have strained the city's waste management infrastructures. A waste characterisation study
commissioned by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly in 2020 revealed that about 40% of the Greenhouse
Gas Emissions in the city is accounted for by the waste generated. In response, city authorities have
proposed the municipal solid waste source separation and compost initiative as a solution. This study
presents findings from a community survey assessing the state of residents' existing practices, perceptions
and behavioural intentions to practice solid waste source separation and composting. The survey was
informed by the Integrative Model of Behavioural Prediction, which looks at an understanding of
residents’ intentions to adopt the city’s initiative. Data was collected via questionnaires administered to
1,617 respondents. The study discusses the implications for policy, public education, and the integration
of informal waste actors into the formal waste management framework