Waste-to-Wealth and Community Participation in Solid Waste Management: Evidence from the Tamale Urban Area, Ghana

Abstract

Rapid urbanisation in Ghana's secondary cities has intensified solid waste management challenges, including inadequate collection services, indiscriminate dumping, and limited community participation. At the same time, the predominance of organic and plastic waste presents opportunities for resource recovery through waste-to-wealth initiatives. This study examined the role of community participation in advancing waste-to-wealth approaches to solid waste management within the greater Tamale urban area, with a focus on Jisonayili and Gurugu in the Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly. A qualitative, exploratory research design was adopted, guided by Participatory Development Theory, Behaviour Change Theory, and the Circular Economy Framework. Data were collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and direct observation, and were analysed thematically. The findings show that waste management practices in the study communities are characterised by high volumes of organic and plastic waste, uneven access to collection services, and widespread reliance on informal disposal methods. Although awareness of environmental and health risks was relatively high, sustained community participation remained limited. Plastic recycling and composting were identified as viable waste-to-wealth opportunities, though constrained by a lack of waste segregation, technical capacity, organisation, and institutional support. Structured participatory models, such as the proposed Community Waste Champions approach and waste-to-wealth initiatives, offer a viable pathway for improving waste management in Ghana's secondary cities. This approach provides a scalable strategy for enhancing environmental sustainability, public health, and socio-economic benefits in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) urban contexts.