**Abstract**

In many developing countries, solid waste is not collected and disposed properly. This leads to public health risks; for example, due to water contamination and air pollution. This research examines how municipalities frame and act on waste separation and 3'R principles (reduce, reuse and recycling) and how they involve households and private providers to ensure sustainable SWM. Questionnaire, interview and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were used to gather data from private and government municipal service providers. The findings indicated that, in Ethiopia, the federal rules, policies and contractual arrangements for SWC clearly show the necessity for waste separation and 3'R principles. Yet, the lack of commitment of the Cleaning Administration Agency (CAA) and Cleaning Administration Department (CAD), the less concern of the private companies and the residents toward the absence of responsible institution to integrate actors are existing challenges. The Ethiopian government needs to improve the governing capacity of municipalities. Besides, it should commit a full-scale implementation of sustainable SWM through raising public awareness of waste separation, the 3R's principles, along with polluters' pay principles. Otherwise, unnecessary loss of resources and overwhelming adverse impact on the environment, Ethiopian public health and safety will persist prevailing.

**Keywords:** environment, awareness, waste separation, reduction, reuse, recycling
