Abstract:
Solid waste management is both urban and rural problems. Every person is a potential generator
of waste. This study was focussed on Prospects and Challenges of Solid Waste Management in
Bole Sub City. The study was conducted by using both qualitative and quantitative approach
methodologies. To determine the shares of the various sources of waste in the sub city, the
mean daily solid waste generation rate by weight and volume of 1031 samples (385
residences, 358 commercial establishments, 208 institutions and 80 industries) was directly
measured for five weeks. Result showed that residences generate the highest share (82%, 75%)
followed by commercial areas 12%, 15%, street sweeping 3%, 1.2%, institutions 2%, 8.5% and
1%, 0.3% by weight and volume respectively. Since residences generate a larger proportion of
waste in the sub city a survey was conducted on 385 households about their onsite waste
handling. Result showed that 82.3% of the households use trash bag and plastics to store waste
at home. On the other hand only 17.7% households responded that they reuse some items.
Similarly, most of the households (83.6%) do not change their cloth wastes for plastic and other
utensils to “Lewach” or sold to “Qorales”. The remaining households (7.3%) exchange their
worn out clothes and shoes to “Lewach” for household utensils. An interview was also
conducted with sub city waste management office about the current conditions of waste
management problems. From this interview the following points were considered as challenges
to improve the situation in the sub city. These are poor infrastructure, lack of properly designed
collection route system, and lack of promotion on waste reduction, recycling and composting. In
Bole sub city 121,164kg, 380167.11L of waste is generated per day by weight and volume
respectively, with per capita generation of 0.31kg and 1.01L by weight and volume.
Keywords: solid waste, waste generation, waste composition