Solid waste management systems in three urban areas of Namibia

Abstract

Globally, environmental concerns on the issue of waste have taken a significant position in many discussions and programmes dealing with environmental management. A problem among developing towns is the lack of proper mechanisms to tackle the solid waste management demands. Rapid urbanisation, inadequate management, poor environmental management awareness and disadvantaged technological and financial availability have constrained the capability of town councils to provide good waste management services, resulting in numerous social and environmental harms. The Namibian Constitution similar to other countries stipulates that every citizen has the right to a clean environment. This study investigated the status of the existing management systems of solid waste collection, transportation, and disposal in 3 Namibian towns namely, Oniipa, Ondangwa and Ongwediva Towns. Moreover, the study examined the impacts of solid waste management on the environment and assessed the community’s perceptions of solid waste management. The methods used to collect data included questionnaires, surveys, interviews, and physical observation. Eighty - Four (84) community members across the informal settlements of the three towns were randomly selected to collect data. The study found the following vital factors affecting solid waste management systems in the cities: poor methods of waste disposal, few skip containers distributed, inadequate transport infrastructure, low waste collection frequencies, financial constraints, and poor public awareness of waste management. These conditions degraded the environment in the study area. Furthermore, based on the study's results, several recommendations have been provided for an improved solid waste management system in the towns. Part of the solutions might be a provision of more educational awareness on solid waste management in the towns, distribution of adequate waste bags and bins for each household, increasing waste collection points, skips and frequencies, as well as raising funds to construct a landfill for the Oniipa town and the management of Ongwediva and Ondangwa dump fills. Addressing the challenges reported in this study will lead towards a clean environment and shed light on methods to be used to manage waste appropriately.