Takomborerwa Hove - Waste management in developing countries

EWB-UK National Research & Education Conference 2011‘Our Global Future’4 th March 2011Year1949195419591960196619711977198019871998199920082010a2020aPopulation Area(ha) Density(persons/ha)16404 3386 4.823471 3386 6.932500 3386 9.658370 3386 17.2109461 20923 5.2172000 20923 8.2197461 22771 8.7230000 22771 10.1333120 22771 14.6Populationincrease %per annum12.29.55.4478155 22771 21 3.3519033 22771 22.8661256 22771 29705948 22771 31976732 22771 42.9Table 3: Population Dynamics in Blantyre City (1949-2008), (Chikwenda, 2005)2010a - population estimate based on Chikwenda’s researchIssues affecting waste managementWaste management services in Blantyre are under the jurisdiction of the Blantyre City Assembly. Waste management indeveloping countries is affected by many factors. These include financial and technical constraints. Financial constraints indeveloping countries mainly arise from the proportion of people who cannot contribute towards the services they areusing. As a result municipal authorities tend to allocate resources to areas with higher tax yields (Zurbrugg, n.d.). Peoplethat live in informal settlements are not likely to be contributing in any way to services. A report by the MalawiGovernment notes the need for improving the human resource at all levels aimed at planning, designing andimplementing sanitation initiatives and programmes (Government of Malawi, n.d.a). . The government notes that only 65%of those living in urban areas have access to improved sanitation.AimThis study aims to look at issues affecting solid waste disposal in the city of Blantyre in Malawi. The hypothesis of thisthesis is that solid waste management infrastructure in Blantyre City, Malawi, needs to be improved to help create a moresustainable environment. The objectives of this study are to:1. Investigate solid waste management infrastructure that can be applied to Blantyre City2. Develop recommendations for improvements to solid waste management infrastructure in Blantyre City.2. Literature ReviewConsequences of poor waste management include water pollution, air pollution and aesthetically unpleasing sights. Poormanagement of waste in urban areas where space is sometimes at a premium affects the quality of life people have.Effective management of waste can reduce the environmental impact and human health related effects it can have.Solid wasteSolid waste disposal involves the collection, transportation, processing and final disposal of the waste where it cannot bemoved or recycled (Rushbrook and Finnecy, 1988). One issue that is highlighted is the presence of a higher organiccontent to the waste found in developing countries (Karekezi, Kithyoma and Onguru, 2009). This gives the waste a higherdensity and moisture content. This creates various problems for its management. Improper disposal of this type of wastehas many detrimental environmental effects.28 per cent of waste generated in Blantyre City was collected by the city assembly in 2002 (Palamuleni, 2002). Thissuggests that a large proportion of waste generated in the Blantyre City was being improperly disposed of. Residents inperi-urban areas are shown to be using methods that are not environmental in disposing of their waste. Some plot ownersdig pits on their property for the purpose of waste disposal while others throw waste away indiscriminately (Manda,2009). Traditional ional housing areas were designed to encourage residents to dig such pits. Other residents simply dumpPanel Presentation: IndustryAuthor: Takomborerwa HoveInstitution: University of Strathclyde128