Bridging Cultures: Lessons from Japan for Improving Rural Household Waste Management in Bangladesh

Research on rural solid waste management (SWM) in Bangladesh is limited.This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of SWM practices in rural areas of Bangladesh, focusing on the best practices used in Japan.By adopting these teachings developing countries may make substantial progress in enhancing their SWM systems, promoting sustainable development, and protecting public health and the environment.The research was conducted using questionnaires and interviews with one hundred and thirtyone citizens and service providers from representative rural areas of Bangladesh and Japan.Qualitative data were analyzed thematically and quantitative data were analyzed by using basic statistical tools such as frequency, correlation analysis, and t-statistic approaches.The results show that citizens in rural Bangladesh perform SWM on a personal basis, using individual judgment, personal knowledge, and voluntary adherence.In contrast, in Japan, waste disposal is uniformly guided by law and city rules.In rural Bangladesh, citizens usually dump waste in open spaces without any schedule, and sometimes bury or burn rubbish.Japanese individuals dispose of waste by following a specific day and time for waste dumping in designated places.Composting and informal sectors are characteristic of Bangladesh's rural SWM, where active voluntary citizen participation is a unique feature of Japan.Timeliness of relevant rules, prioritizing, ensuring stakeholders' involvement, Japanese knowledge, and vibrant local government activities can be appropriate areas of learning from Japan.Researchers and policymakers will benefit from this research as a reference for rural SWM activities and promote sustainable environmental development in rural regions.