PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN WOLKITE TOWN

Abstract

Solid waste management (SWM) is the collection, transfer and disposal of all non-liquid and nongaseous solid materials from residential, commercial, institutional, construction, demolishing area and from street sweeping. Most civilized countries recognize the importance of solid waste management as it has socioeconomic, environmental and health values. However, developing countries like Ethiopia have low consciousness and limited involvements in SWM. Based on this premises, this study is aimed to assess the SWM practices of the municipality in Wolkite town in southern Ethiopia. Descriptive research design with mixed research approach was employed in the study. Totally, 399 sample households were involved in household survey, while, other key informants from the municipality, health institutions and local community were involved in in-depth interview and FGD. The survey data was analyzed using descriptive statistics that was complemented by narration of qualitative data obtained from interview & FGDs. The finding of the study indicates that almost all of the households have temporary storage for solid wastes at their home. However, most of the households didn’t store wastes separately based on the nature of the wastes. Disposing solid wastes in illegal sites is highly practiced by most households. Challenges like: limited awareness on solid waste management, inconsistent solid waste collection services by the municipality, in adequacy and inefficiency of the private solid waste collectors, poor coordination of governmental organizations and the private sectors in SWM are the major challenges affecting the SWM system of the study area. Furthermore, shortage of solid waste disposing containers and trucks in the municipality, financial constraints, inadequate human power to engage in SWM, lack of proper implementations of rules and regulations and lack of decentralized SWM services of the municipality are also among the bottlenecks that challenged the SWM practices in Wolkite town. In order to curb the challenge on SWM, concerned stakeholders should jointly work. Moreover, the municipality should carry out all the facilities for effective and efficient SWM in the town.