Assessment of Potentials of Bio-Recycling As an Alternative to Solid Waste Management in Addis Ababa
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Date
2009-02
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in Addis Ababa has been the exclusive
responsibility of the city administration with minimal participation of the public and
other stakeholders. However, inappropriate handling and disposal of MSW is the most
visible cause of environmental pollution and bad aesthetic feature in Addis Ababa. This
research is mainly aimed at the assessment of existing MSWM method with especial
emphasis to bio-recycling/composting activities undertaken by NGOs and private
organizations. In order to achieve this objective, qualitative data collection methods were
employed. The primary data was collected through in-depth interview with team leaders,
experts, project coordinators and owner of private organizations while secondary data
was also drawn from documentation units of respective organizations to supplement the
primmy data. The data was presented by description, tabulation and percentages
accordingly.
The research showed that household (yard) composting and decentralized community
composting designs and windrow composting process alone are being promoted by the
organizations considered in this research as to fit the situation of Addis Ababa because of
their technological simpliCity and costs. The finding of the research also strongly
revealed that the composition of organic waste generated in Addis Ababa exceeds 80
percent out of all solid wastes. Similarly, the laboratory analysis for essential nutrient
composition of the produced compost confirmed that it exceeds the essential nutrient in
chemical fertilizers. Yet, national compost quality assurance and standard is not well
established in the city. Moreover, compost is demanded for forestry, land seaping,
rehabilitation of eroded area, park greening and a forestation.
Further more, the research has revealed that absence of sorting waste at source, acute
shortage of finance, physical space scarcity, lack of institutional capacity, disposal to
ecologically sensitive area, lack of community awareness, poor legal enforcement, lack
involvement of research institutions, infrastructure, are some of the areas that intensify
the problems of MSWM in Addis Ababa. Moreover, bureaucratic bottlenecks, shortage of
means of transport, lack of maintenance are among the indicated factors that call for
intervention by government and concerned entities.
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Keywords
Municipal solid waste management