Synergy enhancement for sustainable solid waste management service in selected municipalities of coastal tourist destinations, Ghana

Abstract Municipal solid waste (MSWM) service in Ghana’s coastal tourist zone is under pressure due to growing tourism, institutional constraints, and fast urbanization. Environmental deterioration, ineffective waste management, and public health issues are the results of these difficulties. Through...

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Main Authors: Abena Ayepah Atta-Gyan, Surasak Jotaworn, Supit Boonlab
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-08-01
Series:Discover Sustainability
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01672-1
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author Abena Ayepah Atta-Gyan
Surasak Jotaworn
Supit Boonlab
author_facet Abena Ayepah Atta-Gyan
Surasak Jotaworn
Supit Boonlab
author_sort Abena Ayepah Atta-Gyan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Municipal solid waste (MSWM) service in Ghana’s coastal tourist zone is under pressure due to growing tourism, institutional constraints, and fast urbanization. Environmental deterioration, ineffective waste management, and public health issues are the results of these difficulties. Through integrating involvement from the community, private sector, and local government efforts, this study investigates synergistic opportunities to improve MSWM’s sustainability. This study applied a mixed-methods approach that includes 367 survey responses and key informant interviews across three municipalities in Ghana’s Central Region: Gomoa West, Mfantsiman, and Effutu. It was based on the frameworks of sustainable tourism and environmental governance. The results showed that, particularly during the highest-volume travel seasons, there were infrastructure gaps, low rates of household waste sorting (34%) and general dissatisfaction with the waste services currently in place. According to statistical analyses, sorting behavior was positively influenced by education, whereas environmentally conscious practices are negatively correlated with higher consumer orientation. Decentralized waste policies existed, but public participation was low and enforcement was weak. In response to the study, there are four main ways to improve synergy: (1) community-based recycling and sorting programs; (2) behavioral change brought about by education; (3) reinvesting tourism-related income into regional waste systems; and (4) forming public-private partnerships to improve logistics and service delivery. By offering a localized synergy framework designed for municipalities with high tourism in developing countries, this study contributes an existing body of literature also the policymakers with useful information for achieving sustainable waste governance.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2662-9984
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
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spelling doaj-art-292eb4fff9d7439fa66e18d8f2a845942025-08-20T03:45:43ZengSpringerDiscover Sustainability2662-99842025-08-016112510.1007/s43621-025-01672-1Synergy enhancement for sustainable solid waste management service in selected municipalities of coastal tourist destinations, GhanaAbena Ayepah Atta-Gyan0Surasak Jotaworn1Supit Boonlab2Social Sciences, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Rajamangala University of Technology ThanyaburiSocial Sciences, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Rajamangala University of Technology ThanyaburiSocial Sciences, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Rajamangala University of Technology ThanyaburiAbstract Municipal solid waste (MSWM) service in Ghana’s coastal tourist zone is under pressure due to growing tourism, institutional constraints, and fast urbanization. Environmental deterioration, ineffective waste management, and public health issues are the results of these difficulties. Through integrating involvement from the community, private sector, and local government efforts, this study investigates synergistic opportunities to improve MSWM’s sustainability. This study applied a mixed-methods approach that includes 367 survey responses and key informant interviews across three municipalities in Ghana’s Central Region: Gomoa West, Mfantsiman, and Effutu. It was based on the frameworks of sustainable tourism and environmental governance. The results showed that, particularly during the highest-volume travel seasons, there were infrastructure gaps, low rates of household waste sorting (34%) and general dissatisfaction with the waste services currently in place. According to statistical analyses, sorting behavior was positively influenced by education, whereas environmentally conscious practices are negatively correlated with higher consumer orientation. Decentralized waste policies existed, but public participation was low and enforcement was weak. In response to the study, there are four main ways to improve synergy: (1) community-based recycling and sorting programs; (2) behavioral change brought about by education; (3) reinvesting tourism-related income into regional waste systems; and (4) forming public-private partnerships to improve logistics and service delivery. By offering a localized synergy framework designed for municipalities with high tourism in developing countries, this study contributes an existing body of literature also the policymakers with useful information for achieving sustainable waste governance.https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01672-1Synergy enhancementSustainableSolid waste management serviceSelected municipalitiesCoastal tourist destinations
spellingShingle Abena Ayepah Atta-Gyan
Surasak Jotaworn
Supit Boonlab
Synergy enhancement for sustainable solid waste management service in selected municipalities of coastal tourist destinations, Ghana
Discover Sustainability
Synergy enhancement
Sustainable
Solid waste management service
Selected municipalities
Coastal tourist destinations
title Synergy enhancement for sustainable solid waste management service in selected municipalities of coastal tourist destinations, Ghana
title_full Synergy enhancement for sustainable solid waste management service in selected municipalities of coastal tourist destinations, Ghana
title_fullStr Synergy enhancement for sustainable solid waste management service in selected municipalities of coastal tourist destinations, Ghana
title_full_unstemmed Synergy enhancement for sustainable solid waste management service in selected municipalities of coastal tourist destinations, Ghana
title_short Synergy enhancement for sustainable solid waste management service in selected municipalities of coastal tourist destinations, Ghana
title_sort synergy enhancement for sustainable solid waste management service in selected municipalities of coastal tourist destinations ghana
topic Synergy enhancement
Sustainable
Solid waste management service
Selected municipalities
Coastal tourist destinations
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01672-1
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AT surasakjotaworn synergyenhancementforsustainablesolidwastemanagementserviceinselectedmunicipalitiesofcoastaltouristdestinationsghana
AT supitboonlab synergyenhancementforsustainablesolidwastemanagementserviceinselectedmunicipalitiesofcoastaltouristdestinationsghana