Municipal solid waste management in Ethiopia; the gaps and ways for improvement

Abstract

This study aimed at examining solid waste management systems in Ethiopia, identifying the gaps, and exploring ways for improvement. Expansive literature surveys of journal articles, official reports, state-issued pamphlets, critical review of laws and policies were used to elicit information. Case studies provided insight into challenges while investigations into the waste management system of countries with a better system were made to draw comparisons and pinpoint areas of improvement. The average waste generation (0.32 kg/capita/day) was found to be within the limit of waste generation for low-income countries: however, there is an annual increase in waste generation by 5%. The waste is dominated by organic biodegradables which accounted for 67.4%. Crude open dumping without pre-treatment and traditional open burning of wastes are common practices. only 5% of waste is recycled in an unsafe informal way. The current waste management system can be described by 3 I’s (Irregular, inadequate, and inefficient) which denote sporadic and inconsistent collection, low coverage, technical frailties, and lack of enforcement of laws, respectively. Hence, implementing the new system proposed in this study should be a priority. Political will, institutional reform, finance, and most importantly change in behavior are necessary to ensure sustainable waste management.