Abstract
One of the key ingredients to a sustainable functional solid waste systems in any nation is the existence and continual review of data on solid waste management (SWM). Many urban areas in Ghana are heavily polluted with solid waste and Tamale metropolis is not an exception. Households in the metropolis generates enormous amount of solid waste coupled with waste management practices that inevitably affects the environment. The main objective of the study was to determine the physio-chemical parameter of solid waste at Russia bungalows in the Tamale metropolis. In view of this, the specific objectives of the study was to find out the quantity of solid waste generated, determine the moisture content of the waste, and to find out the waste generation rate of the solid waste applying mathematical models. The research gathered data from two main sources namely: secondary and primary sources. The three main techniques employed in gathering the primary data were: preliminary field investigation, physical separation and household survey. The following key findings were established during the analysis of the results and it showed that the quantity of solid waste generated in the study area was 81.70 kg. The total moisture content of the samples was found to be 48.29%, it means that the waste generated can be used as compost to produce fertiliser on farms. This also showed that the generation rate of solid waste was 0.3148 kg/cap/day. Mathematical model showed a weak relation between the quantity of waste generated and household size. Waste generation rates data are crucial in the wider waste systems planning processes. Further studies on source separation of household waste at different areas in the metropolis.
Highlights
Solid waste can be defined as non-liquid material that no longer has any value to the person who owns it or any material that is thrown away or gotten rid of as useless and undesirable [1, 2]. [3] Defined waste management as any activity that aims at diminishing the effects of municipal solid waste on public health and the environment
The organic waste was 55.08% of the total solid waste. This corroborates the findings of [17, 18], who reported that more than half (55-61%) of the solid waste stream in Kumasi is organic in nature while my findings on the plastics and metals were 16.99% and 5.79% respectively which totalled to 22.78%, this represented quite a significant proportion of the solid waste
The quantity of municipal solid waste generated in the study area was very high (81.70 kg), this accounted for the fact that the study area was a middle income area
Summary
Solid waste can be defined as non-liquid material that no longer has any value to the person who owns it or any material that is thrown away or gotten rid of as useless and undesirable [1, 2]. [3] Defined waste management as any activity that aims at diminishing the effects of municipal solid waste on public health and the environment. [3] Defined waste management as any activity that aims at diminishing the effects of municipal solid waste on public health and the environment. This may include: characterization and measurement, collection and transportation, separation and resource recovery, processing as well as disposal. Solid waste is generated by households as well as industrial, agricultural, private enterprise and healthcare activities These wastes amass on streets and public places raising much environmental concerns. Ghana presently with a population of about 24.5 million generates about 4.5 million metric tons of solid waste a year.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
