Assessing the Impact of Community Environmental Literacy on the Performance of Solid Waste Management Education

Ethiopia's capital city, Addis Ababa, faces critical challenges in solid waste management, leading to notable environmental, health, and socio-economic issues. This study investigates the multifaceted inefficiencies within solid waste management, analyzing current practices and identifying primary obstacles to sustainability. Employing a mixed-methods research design, data were gathered through questionnaires, interviews, and field observations. A self-administered questionnaire targeting 152 respondents yielded a 92.8% response rate, complemented by interviews with two key informants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation, linear regression) via SPSS version 26. The findings reveal significant deficiencies including inadequate infrastructure, minimal community involvement, insufficient funding, and weak regulatory frameworks. Correlation analysis demonstrates that technical conditions exhibit the strongest association with collection efficiency (r = 0.705, p < 0.01), while financial constraints moderately correlate with transportation effectiveness (r = 0.620, p < 0.01). Regression analysis indicates that institutional conditions (β = 0.418, p < 0.001) and financial resources (β = 0.185, p = 0.004) are the most significant predictors of SWM effectiveness, explaining 97.4% of variance (R 2 = 0.974, F = 1037.88, p < 0.001). The study contributes a novel five-pillar sustainability framework tailored to low- and middle-income city contexts, integrating policy strengthening, service delivery, technology, social inclusion, and finance. This framework addresses the gap between technical solutions and socio-cultural realities in urban SWM. The findings serve as a pivotal resource for policymakers, providing evidence-based recommendations to foster a more sustainable and resilient solid waste management system in Addis Ababa. • The study revealed insufficient funding, ineffective waste minimization and recycling practices, and a notable absence of integrated solid waste management strategies, all of which hinder progress toward sustainability. • Critical inefficiencies were identified in Addis Ababa’s waste management system, including inadequate collection and disposal infrastructure, minimal community participation, and weak regulatory enforcement mechanisms. • A mixed-methods research design was employed, combining quantitative data from 152 respondents (92.8% response rate) with qualitative insights from key informant interviews and field observations, enabling a comprehensive and evidence-based evaluation of system performance.