Development of solid waste management guidelines for households and communities: A Case Study of Village No. 10, Ban Non Sa-at, and Village No. 11, Ban Non Sawan, Nong Nam Sai Subdistrict Administrative Organization, Ban Phai District, Khon Kaen Province

Abstract

The solid waste problem in Nong Nam Sai subdistrict is becoming an environmental crisis, with an estimated 2 tons of waste generated daily but only collected once a week, leading to overflow and foul odors. This research aims to examine the current situation and develop effective household and community waste management strategies. Using participatory action research based on Kemmis & McTaggart's 4-stage model and guided by the 3Rs principle in two villages with 250 households and 853 residents, data were collected from 34 key informants and 154 household representatives. Analysis involved descriptive statistics and content analysis.

Results showed that before the project, residents had moderate knowledge (64.9%) with an average score of 10.80, and moderate waste management behavior (46.1%) with an average of 3.22. After one month of implementation, significant improvements occurred, with high knowledge levels reaching 96.1% (average 13.69) and behavior rated good to very good at 95.4% (average 4.18). The developed approach included three main activities: motivating through a waste bank and reward system, providing education via training and media, and improving waste collection systems.

The study concludes that participatory action research effectively enhances community waste management; however, the main challenge is not knowledge deficits but inadequate infrastructure and systems. It recommends fostering cooperation among residents, organizations, and government agencies to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly waste management practices, as well as exploring tailored solutions for specific local conditions.