ASSESSMENT OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES : A CASE OF MASHA TOWN, SOUTHWESTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The municipal solid waste causes substantial harm to the environment and human health if mismanaged. With a rapidly expanding human population and growing trend of urbanization, problems related to the management of municipal solid waste have become of considerable importance in Ethiopia from both environment and human safety. This urges for better understanding of the existing practices and problems of solid waste m anagement in emerging towns of Ethiopia. This study therefore assessed the existing solid waste management practices and problems in Masha town, Sheka zone, SNNPR. Samples were selected using probabilistic and non- probabilistic techniques. The study was conducted on randomly selected 76 households, characterized into different classes. Both primary and secondary data sources were used. Primary data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and observation. Secondary data were collected from differe nt documents and office reports. The data collected from both primary and secondary sources were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative descriptive methods. Findings of the study revealed t hat most of the residents (91.0%) in the study area use traditional method of solid waste handling system. The result also showed that plastic bags and sacks were used as a temporary solid waste collecting and storing material in the study area. About (10.4%) of the respondents replied that communities dump the solid waste everywhere, like river banks (9. %), and along the street roads (80.6%). Openly dumped solid waste in the area was damaging both the environment and public health as viewed by the respondents. As indicated by the respondents (92.5%) of the community participation in municipal solid waste management was extremely low. There are a number of reasons raised to low participation of community on solid waste management. The mean valve of household solid waste generation rate of Masha town is 2.6 kg/day, 76.5 kg/month and 931 kg/year. Composition of the solid waste generated in Masha town is predominantly made up of organic component (90%), paper (2%), plastics (2%), hazardous (1%), other waste (2%) glass (2%), and metal (1%). Lack of awareness, poor coordination among the residents, lack of efficient implementation of enacted rules and regulation by concerned bodies were the main factors. To alleviate the problems in the study area handling separation and collection system of solid waste should be established and enhanced. Poor municipal solid waste management is practiced in the town. Therefore, it is recommended that the municipal should develop proper infrastructure, and prepare proper disposal sites where municipal solid wastes can be disposed. Awareness raising among the inhabitants and also organizing the youth groups in small and micro enterprises in solid waste management activities is found to be important. Regular monitoring of the functionality of the system is also important.