Handling and disposal practices of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) at a village in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

This study investigated the practices of households concerning the handling and disposal of used and broken Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) at a village in Limpopo Province of South Africa. Cross-sectional quantitative design was used. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Cluster random sampling was used to select a sample of 338 households who participated in the study. The results indicated that 53.6 % of the households had improper handling and disposal practices while 46.4% had proper handling and disposal practices of broken and used CFLs. The results further indicated a relationship between gender, age and employment status with practice on the handling and disposal of broken and used CFLs. The study concluded that more than half of respondents had improper handling and disposal practice of CFLs. These results necessitate community education about proper disposal methods and handling of broken and used CFLs as well as establishment of disposal site by the municipality. Keywords: Waste handling, waste disposal, compact fluorescent lamps, mercury exposure, practices, rural village.