Sizwe D. Mabaso*, Sizwe M. Nxumalo, Sipho F. Mamba, Saico S. Singwane & Ian B. van Zuydam
This paper explored plastic waste management practices employed by rural households in rural households of Kingdom of Eswatini. It identified the types of plastic waste generated, estimated the average daily (and annual) amount generated, and established the different strategies employed by rural households in managing plastic waste. A semi-structured questionnaire, accompanied by an observation matrix, was used to solicit data from heads of households in Ezikhotheni and Zombodze emuva communities. Data on the types and amount of generated plastic waste (per household) were gathered for two consecutive months (December 2018 and January 2019) from the two rural communities. The results revealed that rural communities in Eswatini generate different types of plastic waste materials, and these include: Polyethylene Terephathalate (PET), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Poly propylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and other plastic waste materials layered from other plastic. On average, it was found that a rural household generates approximately 15.9 g of plastic waste per day, equating to about 5.8 kg per annum. Common plastic waste management practices found in these rural communities included; open burning, burying, reusing, disposing in backyard pit, indiscriminate disposal in the backyard, selling and upcycling. The study concluded that primitive traditional plastic waste disposal and management methods still characterize most rural households in Eswatini. However, modern and recommended plastic waste management practices were also observed in some households, particularly in Zombodze Emuva community.
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