Effects of solid waste management practices on the local people’s general health: A case study of Makindye Division, Kampala Uganda.

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of solid waste management practices on the local people’s general health in Makindye division, this study employed Across-sectional research design and case study which used both descriptive and analytical methods. The study focused on the nature of solid waste generated, practices employed in solid waste management and the hindrances faced by Makindye Division in managing the solid waste. The objectives of the study were to identity the types of solid waste generated, to examine the present solid waste management practices, to establish factors hindering effective solid waste management by Makindye Division and to find out diseases members of the local communities suffer from that are related to different SWM practices. The study used random sampling technique to determine a sample size of 393 respondents. Mostly, qualitative data was obtained from questionnaires, observation schedules and interview guides which were coded, interpreted and entered into SPSS. Further data was analyzed to give it a broader and more meaningful picture of the sample in addition to generating frequency tables, pie charts and bar graphs for further interpretation. The study findings revealed that paper and carton, yard trimmings, food scraps, wood glass, plastics, metal and clothes were the types of solid waste generated by Makindye Division Field findings also indicated that Makindye Division employed various practices to control and minimize the solid waste generated which included; recycle, reuse, waste reduction, compositing, energy recovery, compaction, dumping, incineration, pyrolysis and partnerships in solid waste management. Study findings reported that Makindye Division bottleneck in its solid waste management include KCCA’s failure to collect the waste on time, insufficient capital, weather vagaries, nature and composition of the waste, limited space and collection containers. It was recommended that Makindye Division improves employment conditions as well as access to support services. Markets of recycling industries need to participate in waste management by separating their waste at source point. build broad-based support for composting and recycling through the ‘’garbage is money’’ poster campaign, KCCA need to have a deliberate policy that encourages the community and various stakeholders to play a role in developing garbage-related policies, environmental education to the communities should be taken seriously authorities to work with private companies in providing services to the people, links should be established between recycling companies and communities groups and an effective environmental policy among the poor needs to have an element of economic incentive for them to be supportive. There is need to develop a policy that involves the community in waste management.