| dc.description.abstract | Local authorities have the statutory responsibility of providing services, including solid
waste management for the population in their areas -of jurisdiction. Solid waste disposal
does not pose a significant problem for the population in rural areas because the amount
of land available for assimilation of waste is relatively large. Furthermore it is important
to note that the type of waste varies according to the dominant land use activity, which in
this case is agriculture. Therefore, the main solid waste disposal method used in rural
areas is composting. After decomposition, waste is used as manure in the farm.
But solid waste disposal becomes difficult in urban areas, with the production of all types
of waste together with increase of population density, which leads to a greater production
of waste per unit area and a decreased proportion of land available for its disposal. The
local authorities are also facing a problem of financial resources for solid waste
management when the demand is fast growing. Limited financial resources have been
cited as the major reason for ineffective solid waste management but there are other
reasons as well. Poor management and limited personnel have greatly contributed to
inadequate solid waste management.
To cut short the cost of solid waste management, dumping takes place wherever space is
available. Solid Waste is disposed in settings, which provide non-protection of ground or
surface water. Solid waste disposal sites are haphazardly located without any
environmental impact assessment to identify the consequences of their location. The only
criterion for their sitting is accessibility.
Concerning solid waste management at the disposal site, open dumping, a cheap way of
waste disposal, is the main disposal method used in Nairobi. But this method has other
effects. The main problems include unsanitary condition of the disposal site favoring the
reproduction of sickness vectors, smell and dust production, leading to reduction of the
aesthetic condition of the nearby settlement, security problem and impact on land use. As a result, it has become a near political impossibility to site a landfill because of the
'NlMBY' (Not In My Back Yard) Syndrome. This study was set out to investigate the
problems surrounding the issue of sitting and managing solid waste disposal sites in
Nairobil and suggest appropriate solutions to the same.
The study discovered that there is a positive relationship between the location of the
disposal site, the amount and types of waste, the disposal method used and the impacts
emanating from solid waste disposal. Therefore after environmental impact assessment
for the location of the disposal site, jurisdictions have to adopt a hierarchy of options.
You recycle and compost first, bum second, you only bum what you can not recycle or
compost and Sanitary landfill is the technology of last resort as a mean of preserving land
as a resource. These options are synergistic, they compliment one another and they
should develop together.
Sanitary landfill as a solid waste disposal option is not as detrimental to the environment
as the open dumping, but the costs associated with the construction of sanitary landfills
are a detriment to developing countries financial resources. Even technical equipment
needed for construction may not be available. Therefore, there is need to last the facility
by landfilling reduced volume of waste. This can be achieved through for example
recycling. Recycling of solid waste, if encouraged can improve the environment in lowincome
areas and help create employment for more low-income earners. But adequate
solid waste management can only be achieved by involving all communities and not a
few. | en |
