Densification of urban residential spacem and it’s effect on solid waste management:

Abstract

One of the key problems that Kenya and most other developing countries have in common is the high population growth- rate, which has become an impediment to growth and led to poverty- ridden slum cities . 'This is threat to development since the population growth rat e of 3 percent i s higher than the economic growth of about 2.6 percent recorded last year ,” according to reproductive health expert s (Daily Nation, June 28, 2010, p 17) . Most informal developments in the area of study, as is the case in similar areas , included illegal extensions and highrise buildings that attracted a large a population. This increased population out reached the infrastructure, leading to burst s ever s , heaps of uncollected garbage, water rationing and over loaded transformer s . This study focused on issues surrounding solid waste management services . The study endeavored to investigate how the concentration of people with their myriad activities , and the densities of buildings impacted on solid waste management in a social environment . It also offered suggest ion on ways resolve related problem is sues . The study area was one of Nairobi’s densely populated and low- income neighbourhood of Kawangware. The neighbourhood is located 12 km to the west of the City’s CBD. Kawangware borders the high- income residential area of Lavington to the west , Nairobi River to the north and Riruta Satellite to the south