Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the existing solid waste management (SWM) practices and problems in Wolaita Sodo town by collecting data using structured questionnaire and checklist. A cross-sectional design and a multistage sampling method was employed to select representative households (HHs) and purposive sampling technique was used to select Key Informants (KIs). A total of 408 respondents (378 HHs and 30 KIs) participated in the study. The results indicated that the places where community containers located were not appropriate (93.0 % of HHs), waste collection containers were not enough (100%) and had no cover (28.0%). Only half of HHs had access to SW collection service. All study participants reported the presence of open type waste transporting facility at the municipality level but 83.3% of KIs and 97.0%of HHs indicated absence of known fixed schedule for transporting the collected waste. The methods of disposal used include open burning (27.0%), burying in the ground (5.4%) and open dumping outside disposal site of the town (78.4%). Nearly three-quarters of KIs reported the absence of responsible body to control and manage the open disposal site. Among the 17 major SWM problems listed by KIs, 12 (70.6%) were rated as very serious and these were reported by about 87.0% of the KIs. The study revealed that the SWM practices and services at both HH and municipality level of Wolaita Sodo town was weak in terms of status as well as spatial coverage and service delivery is entangled by many very serious problems. Therefore, the town municipality must develop an appropriate SWM plan and implement it to improve the services, raise public awareness to increase participation in practices, increase stakeholders’ involvement and enforce regulations and laws. Keywords : Woliata Sodo, Solid Waste, SW management, SW management practice, waste disposal
Highlights
According to ENPHO (2008), if solid waste (SW) is not effectively managed; it can result in serious adverse impacts on environment and public health
Waste reuse and compositing practices: Results (Table 3) of the present study revealed that only 17.7% of HHs practiced SW sorting and Key Informants (KIs) reported the absence of such practices at municipality level of Sodo town
10 % of the study participant KIs indicated that improper institutional set up/arrangement for solid waste management (SWM) service was a serious problems (Table 6).The present study revealed that the existing SWM practices in Sodo town are entangled with very serious problems that are responsible for inefficient SWM system
Summary
According to ENPHO (2008), if solid waste (SW) is not effectively managed; it can result in serious adverse impacts on environment and public health. Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is one of the basic services that are currently receiving wide attention in many cities and towns of Ethiopia. Studies conducted in most major towns and cities of Ethiopia indicated that SWs that are generated are not appropriately handled and managed, mainly due to institutional, regulatory, financial, technical and public participation problems(Lema,2007; Melaku, 2008; Dereje, 2009; Nigatu et al, 2011; Solomon, 2011; Mekonnen, 2012; Dagnew,et al, 2012; Mengist and Assegid, 2014; Afework, 2015). Planning comprehensive SWM program requires understanding the existing SWM practices and problems in towns/cities. The major objective of this study was ; to assess the existing SWM practices at HH and municipality level and SWM problems of Woliata Sodo town
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