Determinants of Household Waste Management Behavior in Urban Slum Communities: Evidence from Makassar City, Indonesia

Household solid waste management in urban slum settlements remains an important environmental and public health concern in developing countries. This study analyzed sociodemographic, environmental, and social factors associated with household waste management practices in an urban slum area of Makassar City, Indonesia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 106 households in Maccini Sombala Village using structured interviews and field observations. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests and binary logistic regression. Results showed that 61.3% of households had poor waste management practices, particularly in waste separation and household-scale processing/recycling. In the multivariable model, secondary education and elderly age were significantly associated with better household solid waste management practices (p < 0.05). Respondents with secondary education were nearly three times more likely to report good practices (OR = 2.92; 95% CI: 1.18–7.25), while elderly respondents were more than four times more likely to do so (OR = 4.59; 95% CI: 1.17–17.99). The measured environmental and social factors, including household sanitation, domestic wastewater drainage, clean water quality based on basic physical criteria, and perceived community clean-up activities, were not statistically significant. These findings suggest that household-level behavior change, particularly through practical environmental education, may be important for improving waste management practices in low-resource urban settings.