From Waste to Resource: Opportunities and Barriers for Household Solid Waste Recovery in Jimma City, Ethiopia

This study aims to examine solid waste generation, composition, and characteristics, thereby evaluating household resource recovery practices and the factors influencing these practices. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, including a household survey and detailed proximate and ultimate analyses of waste. Relevant data were collected from 820 systematically selected households through a structured survey, complemented by measurements of solid waste generation and composition using an adapted standard checklist for solid waste composition analysis. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ordinal logistic regression. The results indicate a solid waste generation rate of 0.653 kg per person per day in Jimma. The organic components accounted for 55.5%, recyclable products accounted for 23.97%, and reusable materials accounted for 11.02% of the total municipal solid waste, suggesting a 90.5% resource recovery potential. Despite huge resource potential, households' engagement in waste recovery practices is very low due to limited knowledge and tenure status, underscoring the need for targeted education and resource-oriented waste management strategies. Therefore, this study recommends targeted awareness campaigns, formalization of informal solid resource recovery sectors, household composting, and equitable infrastructure investments to align local waste management with sustainable urban development.