Community-based bin design approach: an initial stage toward urban composting at a hill station, Philippines

The world today is literally and figuratively burdened with heavy loads of garbage, which pose a hazard to human health and the environment. A concerted effort by all sectors of society is required to find an immediate, effective, feasible, and practical solution for the management of waste and garbage. Composting is one of the most practical methods. This study aims to explore the role of community involvement in the design phase of a functional compost bin. Kafagway, the former name of Baguio City, is the only American hill station in Asia, designed by the world-renowned architect Daniel Burnham and intended for 25,000 people. Now the city, also known as the City of Pines, is home to 342,200 households and is overcrowded due to rampant and disorganized urbanization, aggravated by an influx of tourists, resulting in a problematic pileup of garbage. Biodegradables comprise the largest amount of municipal waste which is potentially convertible into valuable useful by-products. By actively involving household participation, the respondents manifested their choices beyond the physical dimensions of their preferred compost bin, which revealed an interesting interplay of various sociodemographic issues in their choice, affecting their attitude, behavior, and eventual compliance toward effective waste disposal and management.