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Published:
Oct 29, 2026DOI:
10.4314/mejs.v18i2.7Keywords:
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Main Article Content
Investigation of Practices and Procedures of Chemical Waste Management in Educational Institutions: The Case of Secondary Schools and Higher Institutions Located in Tigray, Ethiopia
Tewolde Tadele Kahsay
Gebrekidan Mebrahtu Tesfamariam
Goitom Gebreyohannsee Berhe
Abrha Gebrekidane Asgedom
Abstract
Mismanagement of laboratory hazardous waste presents a profound challenge to the environment and occupational health within educational sectors. This paper evaluates chemical waste management dynamics in secondary schools and higher education institutions in Tigray, Ethiopia. The objectives of the study were twofold: to assess the institutional practices governing the handling, storage, and disposal of chemical waste; and to quantify the types and volumes of waste generated across diverse educational strata. Employing a mixed-methods framework, the study utilized multi-stage stratified sampling involving 120 individual school personnel respondents, qualitative observational audits, and a granular review of laboratory manuals and curricula. A mixed-methods approach was adopted where quantitative data were gathered via a specific structured questionnaire instrument, while qualitative insights were obtained through direct observation and comprehensive document analysis. Quantitative findings were synthesized through a dual-axis Pareto analysis, which revealed a significant statistical concentration of waste; governmental secondary schools are accounting for approx. 78% of the total waste (n=93). Despite more robust upstream infrastructure, higher education institutions exhibited a technical-operational disconnect where technical capacity was undermined by downstream failures, including routine sink decanting and the absence of comprehensive lifecycle traceability documentation. One-sample t-tests confirmed that deficits in waste segregation (t=216.089, p<0.001) and staff training (M=3.90, p<0.001) are systemic constants. The document analysis identified 82 environmentally blind experimental designs that normalize hazardous disposal through pedagogical omission. It is concluded that the regional risk is driven by the corrosive acid & base effluents in the governmental sector and complex organic solvents in universities. The results advocate for a Point-Source Concentration Model, prioritizing bulk neutralization for high-volume contributors and specialized recovery systems for research-oriented environments.
