Among other African cities, in terms of solid waste management (SWM), Harare has been ranked as one of the poorest. The municipality struggles to efficiently provide SWM services to its residents. Considering that SWM systems are complex, the individual behaviour of its components (waste generation, collection, and disposal) determines the overall performance of the system. This mini-review thus aims to understand the management system of the urban city’s biggest source of solid waste which is household solid waste (HSW). The systematic literature review methodology using NVIVO was used to analyse the literature. Out of a selected sample size of 500 journal articles, 26 were selected based on their relevance to the study. The uncertainty of the data provided by the Harare City Council (HCC) and of HSW generation data harvested in the literature was calculated. According to the HCC data records, Harare has an average daily waste generation per capita of on average 0.38±0.1 kg producing about 207, 635, 294±56, 027, 040 kg of HSW generated annually. With the waste collection efficiency in Harare at about 72.4%±7.5%, the city collects approximately 170, 385, 600±33 384 209 kg of HSW annually. All the collected HSW is disposed of in the city’s major MSW dumpsite called Pomona and only about 23, 498, 400±3, 988, 817 kg MSW is recovered annually with the average recovery efficiency at around 9.5%±2.8%, where most of the waste recovery is done by the waste pickers.

Managing household solid waste (HSW) has gone beyond what the Harare local government can handle. Inadequate knowledge of the interactions existing between issues that affect the efficient running of waste management systems is one of the major hindrances in waste management planning in developing countries like Zimbabwe. The complexity of the waste management system for a given municipal area needs to be identified and understood to generate appropriate and efficient waste management strategies. Network analysis (NA) is a methodology extensively used in research to help reveal a comprehensive picture of the relationships and factors related to a particular phenomenon. The methodology reduces the intricacy of large systems such as waste management to smaller and more understandable structures. In this study, NA, which was done mainly using the R software environment, showed a result of 1.5% for network density, thus signifying that for Harare, waste management strategies need to be ‘seeded’ in various parts of the system. The Pareto principle and the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) concept were applied to suggest the issues to prioritize and generate strategies that could potentially affect significant change to the city’s waste management system. The key issues identified, in their order of importance, are an increase in uncollected waste, low waste collection efficiency, increase in illegal waste dumping, the deteriorating country’s economy, reduced municipal financial capacity, reduced municipal workforce capacity, inadequate or unreliable waste data, increase in waste volume, increase in the number of street vendors, no waste planning and monitoring unit, no engineered landfills in the city, increase in waste collection pressure, low waste collection frequency, increase in the unemployment rate, reduced municipal technical capacity, few waste collection vehicles, limited vehicles maintenance, distinct socio-economic classes, high vehicles breakdown, and increase in population.

One potential solution to reduce urban emissions in Johannesburg is to transition to electric vehicles (EVs). However, research support is needed to understand the behavioral, socio-demographic, and infrastructural barriers that may hinder the adoption of EVs, hence this study. The results showed that younger respondents had lower trust in EVs (t(388) = -2.045, p = 0.042), and postgraduates were significantly more aware of environmental benefits (F(6, 383) = 4.365, p < 0.001). Lower-income earners reported higher operational (t(388) = 2.682, p = 0.009) and financial barriers (t(388) = 3.805, p < 0.001). Awareness of environmental benefits strongly predicted perceptions of vehicle performance (B = 0.371, β = 0.398, p < 0.001) and adoption enablers (B = 0.481, β = 0.421, p < 0.001). Ultimately, awareness of environmental benefits (B = -0.153, t = -2.617, p = 0.009) was crucial, yet it did not subdue concerns about operational barriers (Interaction: B = 0.047, p = 0.477), indicating that operational efficiency primarily influenced willingness to adopt. In conclusion, this study showed that in some emerging market contexts, EV transition might not be solely and significantly supported by environmental sensitization but rather coupled with addressing pressing operational limitations like charging station availability.

Although small businesses play an important role in generating employment opportunities and local economic development, their involvement in recycling programs has not been characterized in greater detail. This study explored the perceptions and willingness of selected small businesses in Gauteng province townships to reuse or recycle some of their waste materials. This study used a quantitative research approach to explore the perceptions and willingness of selected small businesses to reuse or recycle some of the waste they generate. The results showed that the perceptions about the contribution of recycling to environmental pollution reduction among small businesses in the study differed significantly across the townships (χ² = 6.892, p = 0.003). On the other hand, most formal businesses significantly agreed with the potential benefits of waste recycling on environmental pollution reduction (χ² = 16.118, p = 0.003), saving landfill space (χ² = 11.610, p = 0.003), improving environmental quality (χ² = 10.443, p = 0.005), and providing job opportunities (χ² = 10.263, p = 0.036). However, regardless of their formality (χ² = 2.957, p = 0.228) or location (χ² = 9.463, p = 0.051), there was no statistically significant variation in the recycling practices of the small businesses in this study. Moreover, businesses' willingness to use recycling facilities if they were located nearby differed across townships (0.05 > p = 0.010) but was similar despite the formality of the enterprises. In conclusion, recycling perceptions and willingness of small businesses can vary significantly depending on whether they are formal or informal and across townships. As a result, relevant educational interventions should be uniquely developed to raise awareness about the need for waste minimization through recovery, re-use, and recycling among small businesses in the Gauteng province.Implications: Small, Medium, and Micro enterprises (SMMEs) play a crucial role in local economic development in South Africa. However, research on their environmental sustainability is scarce, despite their significant impacts on natural resources and contributions to pollution. Most waste management studies have focused on households and municipalities, leaving a gap in understanding SMMEs' waste management behaviors, particularly in townships.

This study examined the predictors of pro-environmental behaviour (PEB)among South Africans, with the aim of understanding how socio-demographic and environmental variables influence individuals’ engagement in environmentally responsible actions. The research sought to determine both the nature of the relationships and the strength of association between these predictor variables and PEB. Using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, the research analysed six socio-demographic and nine environmental psychology variables to assess their potential explanatory relationship with each other and in predicting PEB. Gender was significantly associated with higher environmental risk perception and activism, while age was positively related to the willingness to make personal sacrifices for environmental protection. By contrast, education had mixed effects, positively influencing environmental concern and identity but negatively associated with risk perception, activism, environmental practices, and overall PEB, thus indicating that higher educational attainment does not necessarily translate into stronger environmental action. Results from multiple regression analysis identified environmental risk perception as the strongest predictor of PEB, with environmental concern, activism, and regional context making little but significant contributions, thus highlighting the central role of perceived environmental risks in motivating sustainable behaviour among the sampled South Africans. Research identifying the strongest predictors of pro-environmental behaviour among South Africans can help government agencies, municipalities, environmental practitioners, and educators develop context-specific strategies that encourage sustainable lifestyles and environmental citizenship.

Background and Aims: With the growing human population, improved access to healthcare, and the increasing burden of disease, the consumption and subsequent disposal of pharmaceuticals is rising. This study assessed and compared household pharmaceutical waste (HPW) storage and disposal, and environmental awareness among residents of Katlehong Township and Lambton Suburb within the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. Methods: A stratified random sampling technique was used to identify and administer a semi‐structured questionnaire to 303 respondents (Katlehong = 221; Lambton = 82). Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS ver.30 were used to generate descriptive statistics and χ ² tests. Results: The results revealed limited knowledge of what pharmaceutical waste is in Katlehong (39.4%, n = 87) and Lambton (42.7%, n = 35). Despite this, 77% ( n = 233) of respondents expressed willingness to adopt proper disposal practices if adequate education and disposal alternatives are provided. Concerning storage, the most frequently adopted method in Katlehong (43.0%, n = 95) and Lambton (53.7%, n = 44) was inside a medicine box. Residents of Katlehong (61.5%, n = 136) and Lambton (72.0%, n = 59) mostly threw away HPW together with household general waste. Generally, higher‑income households (> R300,000/year) significantly adopted safe HPW disposal methods ( χ ² (5, 303) = 20.989, p < 0.001, Φ = 0.118, RR _{(<R500,000/year)} = 0.245 (95% CI: 0.934–24.341)), when compared to lower‐income households (< R500,000/year). Moreso, regardless of comparatively lower socio‐economic conditions prevailing in the township of Katlehong, the data revealed statistically significant safer pharmaceutical storage practices ( χ ² (5, 303) = 20.989, p < 0.001, Φ = 0.121, RR(Kahlehong) = 0.442 (95% CI: 0.204–0.957), as compared to Lambton. Conclusion: Overall findings revealed poor pharmaceutical storage and HPW disposal, as well as limited awareness in both study areas. However, annual household income and the socio‐economic status of the suburb did significantly influence HPW disposal and pharmaceutical storage practices, respectively. This highlights the urgent need for public education and accessible take‐back systems to promote safe HPW management across both socioeconomic communities while also incorporating targeted interventions to effect change.