Assessing Community-Based Strategies for Sustainable Kitchen Food Waste Management in Samdrup Jongkhar District, Bhutan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54417/jaetm.v6i1.185Keywords:
Kitchen food waste, community-based waste management, composting practices and sustainable developmentAbstract
Kitchen food waste is one of the critical environmental concerns facing the rapidly urbanizing areas of Bhutan. This study examined the effectiveness of community-based kitchen food waste management in Samdrup Jongkhar District by assessing waste composition, management practices, awareness, and community participation. A mixed-method research design was employed, and data were collected from 370 households selected through stratified random sampling across rural and peri-urban areas. The results showed that leftovers of cooked food constituted 100% kitchen food waste, while vegetable peels accounted for the largest proportion (71.1%) of the waste composition. The most common disposal method was kitchen garden disposal (30.3%), followed by burning (27.8%) and mixing with general waste (19.7%). Although respondents were generally aware of the barriers to composting, no statistically significant relationship was found between awareness and composting practices (χ2 = 2.375, p = 0.498). Furthermore, more than 50% of respondents across all regions expressed a positive perception of community composting initiatives. These findings indicate considerable potential for promoting community-based composting as a sustainable waste management strategy that supports
Gross National Happiness (GNH) and environmental sustainability
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