Takomborerwa Hove - Waste management in developing countries

EWB-UK National Research & Education Conference 2011‘Our Global Future’4 th March 2011Figure 30: Medical waste at Blantyre's sole dump siteFigure 31: Image of waste at the city dumpA report published by the Blantyre City Assembly states that medical drugs count as special waste and should either becrashed or burned before final disposal (BCA, 2010). The dump site has been in use since 1993. It receives roughly 3000tonnes of waste every month. To create room waste will be piled up into heaps then eventually spread level then coveredin earth before being compacted at the site. Covering the waste up helps to create anaerobic conditions meaning biogaswill continually be leaking into the air. As no impervious soil layer is placed on the ground before compaction leachatefrom the waste is more than likely to percolate into the ground and eventually contaminate groundwater.Scavengers were spotted at the site. The City Assembly estimates roughly 150 scavengers a majority of them beingchildren visiting the site on a daily basis (BCA, 2010). There is nothing at the site to deter people from entering. theimage figure 6 shows a corn field that is located adjacent to the site. Most scavengers at the site are looking for plasticbags as there is a small business located nearby that is involved in recycling them. At the site very strong foul odourscould be detected from the decomposing organic matter. Prolonged exposure to the conditions at the site may havedetrimental health effects for those that frequently attend the site. Both anaerobic and aerobic conditions are likely toexist at the site for years to come. The dump site also creates ideal conditions for vectors such as mosquitoes to thrive.Malaria is a prevalent disease within the city. The site is bordered by a stream and this means during the rainy seasoncontaminants in the waste may be transported into this watercourse. Rain may also carry from the waste through the soilin to the groundwater and streams.Poor solid waste disposal practices in Blantyre combined with many other factors have contributed to eutrophication ofthe city’s waterways. This has very negative consequences for the residents that live downstream of some the city’s mainrivers.CollectionCollection of waste in the city is carried out six days a week in planned areas. In the town’s busier markets wastecollection is done everyday.The efficiency of the transportation of waste is a problem for the Blantyre City Assembly (BCA). The assembly points tothe level of education in the sector as a limiting factor. The BCA highlights a shortage of trained personnel in the sectormaking logistical planning a problem. The effectiveness of the BCA’s service is affected by a low supply of fuel as eachvehicle is given a limited supply.In 2010 the assembly owned 100 skips of which 58 were being hired out to private companies while the rest were placedin markets and unplanned areas (BCA, 2010). Companies are charged MK 7,000 (USD 50) for using the skips with thesame amount being charged if assembly vehicles are to be used to collect them when full. This leaves 42 skips to servethe city’s markets, some of its traditional housing areas (THAs) and the informal sector (BCA, 2010). Considering thatonly 125 tonnes of waste is collected and a further 475 tonnes goes uncollected highlights a major in infrastructureavailable to deal with the city’s waste.Table 2 below shows a breakdown of the contents that make up the waste produced in Blantyre. Considering thatBlantyre’s low income population is represented by those that live in high density formal housing areas, traditionalhousing areas and informal settlements it is easy to conclude that this group of people produces a majority of thehousehold waste in the city. However this group of people are less likely to receive waste collection and the putresciblewaste they produce is more than likely to be producing air pollution where it is improperly disposed of.Panel Presentation: IndustryAuthor: Takomborerwa HoveInstitution: University of Strathclyde131