Impact of solid waste management practices on mosquito breeding in urban areas

Rapid urbanization in developing countries has intensified solid waste generation and compromised municipal waste management infrastructure, creating conditions favorable to mosquito proliferation. This cross-sectional quantitative study assessed the impact of solid waste management practices on mosquito larval density in selected urban communities. A total of 150 households were systematically sampled and 30 waste accumulation points were surveyed using the standard dipping method. Open dumping was the most prevalent disposal method (40%), and discarded tires recorded the highest mean larval density (22.7 ± 5.1 larvae/dip). A strong positive correlation was observed between waste accumulation and larval density (r = 0.68, p = 0.001). Multiple linear regression revealed that open dumping (β = 0.61), collection frequency (β = −0.47), and covered container use (β = −0.39) collectively explained 52% of larval density variation (R² = 0.52, F = 18.6, p < 0.001). Stegomyia indices in open-dumping zones exceeded WHO emergency outbreak thresholds. These findings confirm that poor solid waste management significantly drives mosquito breeding and underscore the urgent need for strengthened municipal collection infrastructure, covered container promotion, and anti-dumping enforcement as integrated vector management strategies.