Hindawi Journal of Environmental and Public Health Volume 2021, Article ID 8853669, 12 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/8853669 Research Article Fisherfolk’s Perception of and Attitude to Solid Waste Disposal: Implications for Health, Aquatic Resources, and Sustainable Development Justice Mensah Directorate of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana Correspondence should be addressed to Justice Mensah; [email protected] Received 7 August 2020; Revised 17 March 2021; Accepted 20 March 2021; Published 15 April 2021 Academic Editor: John Ssempebwa Copyright © 2021 Justice Mensah. 'is is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 'e study explored fisherfolk’s perception and attitude in regard to solid waste disposal and the implications of these for public health, aquatic resources, and sustainable development (SD) in a Ghanaian fishing community. Qualitative data were obtained from 37 purposively targeted participants comprising 34 fisherfolk, an environmental health expert, a water and sanitation expert, and a fisheries and aquatic sciences expert through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Data were analysed thematically guided by the most significant stories. While the fisherfolk perceived waste as useless and a nuisance, the experts saw it as a nuisance and/or resource. 'e fisherfolk did not sort their waste in line with best practices, nor were they willing to pay for waste collection services, citing poverty as the main reason. While most fisherfolk disposed of their waste into bins as approved, others did so onto the street, into the drains, lagoon, and sea. While the fisherfolk were aware that indiscriminate waste disposal led to diseases such as malaria and cholera, their perceptions of the effect of the same on aquatic resources were mixed. 'e fisherfolk’s conception and perception of waste led to attitudes, behaviours, and practices that polluted the environment (air, land, and water resources), resulting in public health challenges, a threat to navigation, fish population, and other biodiversity, which were inimical to livelihoods and sustainable development. 'e government and municipal authority should collaborate with the experts in environmental health, water and sanitation, fisheries and aquatic sciences, and traditional authorities to sensitise the fisherfolk on the sustainability implications of unapproved solid waste disposal practices to change their attitude for the better. 'ey should also provide more waste disposal infrastructure and enforce the laws to ensure compliance with best practice for sustainable development. 'e study supports the compatibility and mutuality between Sustainable Development (SDG) 6 on water, sanitation, and hygiene and SDG 14 regarding sustainable use of the oceans, seas, and marine resources. 1. Introduction environmental sanitation and hygiene for SD. Despite all these, indiscriminately disposed wastes continue to define Waste management has been an issue of global concern the physical environment of many countries around the throughout history and continues to be so today. Given the globe, most especially, developing countries. importance and complexity of the issue, the global leaders Kalumbi et al. [1] have highlighted the growing threats to considered it more seriously in the health and environ- aquatic resources and public health from environmental mental management targets of the Millennium Develop- degradation caused principally by improper waste disposal ment Goals (MDGs) and the Sustainable Development practices in Africa and other parts of the world. 'e threats Goals (SDGs) in the years 2000 and 2015, respectively. are incompatible not only with the SDG 6 on sanitation and Similarly, the United Nations (UN), through the World hygiene but also with SDG 14, which emphasises the con- Summit on Sustainable Development (SD) in Johannesburg servation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas, and marine in 2002, set aside the year 2008 as the “International Year of resources. Individuals, households, institutions, munici- Sanitation” to draw attention to the importance of palities, and industries are the key responsible entities for the 2 Journal of Environmental and Public Health generation and disposal of the wastes. However, one in- depending on its location and toxic concentration; therefore, dustry whose waste disposal practices have not attracted the it needs to be properly disposed of or managed. Waste can be research prominence it deserves, especially in developing disposed of in many ways, including burying, recycling, countries, is the fishing industry [2–4], despite the threats incineration (burning), composting landfill, and indis- posed by the industry’s disposal activities to sustainable criminate dumping such as dumping it on the street and into livelihoods. the water bodies [5]. UNEP [7] expresses concern about In Ghana, the fishing industry contributes to Gross waste abandoned in the marine and coastal environment. Domestic Product (GDP) and provides livelihoods for many 'is is because marine litter could cause direct or indirect people, particularly the poor coastal fisherfolk. However, damage to marine ecosystems as well as human activities poor environmental sanitation in the fisherfolk’s workplace such as fishing and aquaculture, shipping, tourism, and environment threatens their health and the aquatic re- recreational activities Werner et al. [8]. sources that are important for their livelihoods. 'e poor Perception and attitude influence waste disposal prac- environmental sanitation is, in part, attributed to the fish- tices. Barnhart [9] and Oyedotun et al. [10] observe that erfolk’s perception of waste and attitude to waste disposal, perception relates to the state of being aware of something especially solid waste [3]. While many studies have been through the senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch/ done in the area of solid waste management practices in feeling. 'ough it may be subjective, perception enables Ghana, a limited number of them have been directed at people to react to a situation or phenomenon since it in- coastal fisherfolk’s workplace environment. 'e limited fluences understanding, interpretation, impression, and studies have paid little attention to the perception and at- viewpoint regarding how individuals see things, which titude regarding waste disposal, although extant theoretical suggest awareness, knowledge, belief, and expectations. As literature [5, 6] indicates that these are key factors in noted by Gyankumah [11], efforts to address solid waste safeguarding public health, aquatic resources, and liveli- disposal challenges in developing countries have failed due hoods, especially in the coastal poor communities. to the negative perception people have regarding solid waste Elmina is one of the most popular coastal communities disposal. in Ghana, where the indigenous people depend mostly on Attitude is an enduring predisposition towards a par- fishing-related economic activities for livelihood. However, ticular aspect of one’s environment [12]. It consists of three the physical environment in which the fisherfolk ply their basic components, namely, perception which relates to trade is engulfed in filth as a result of the people’s poor waste emotional impression, cognition which relates to thought, disposal attitude and practices. 'e fisherfolk engage in and a tendency to act. In Ajzen’s view [13], attitude is navigation on the lagoon and sea for fish, mending of fishing influenced by the subjective belief that an action will produce nets, canoes, boats, and gears, and preservation (smoking, a specific result. 'is hinges on the individual’s evaluation of salting, drying, and freezing) and sale of fish. In the course of the phenomenon. In other words, people’s positive attitude these activities, wastes are generated that need to be disposed towards a phenomenon will strengthen their intention to of or managed. As indicated by Boopendranath [2], sources perform a specific action [14 15]. Waste disposal is linked to of wastes generated in capture fisheries include by-catch people’s attitudes towards littering, interest in waste re- discards; onboard processing wastes; metal and plastic duction, and minimisation. It is argued [16] that people’s wastes due to abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear; and attitudes influence their behaviour towards waste disposal. food materials, bilges, and other wastes from vessel oper- Where the waste disposal attitude and behaviour are neg- ations. Apart from posing public health threats, the wastes ative, the disposal practices could have negative environ- that eventually get into the lagoon, sea, and ocean could also mental, social, and economic impacts, thereby affecting SD. have implications for the aquatic resources. Despite its 'e reverse socioeconomic and environmental impacts are potential implications for livelihoods and SD, the fisherfolk registered where the waste disposal attitude and behaviour appeared unconcerned about this phenomenon. 'is pro- are positive, resulting in eventual positive effects on SD. voked an investigation as to the fisherfolk’s perception of and attitude to solid waste disposal and the implication of 2. Study Setting and Methods these for public health and aquatic resources that constitute their natural capital for livelihood. 'e objective of the study, 'e study