Waste sampling and recording at Busia's main market

The knowledge on quantity and quality of solid waste is crucial for sound solid waste management planing. In March 2011, three weeks of waste sampling exercise were conducted by YES at different spots in Busia.

Compostable biodegradable organic waste is used by farmers as fodder for animals, but also as manure. Besides, Busia will receive a new composting facility through another project, which requires good knowledge on the input material. Plastic bags have been recorded in other Ugandan towns with a composting facility, which may have an impact not only on the composting process and the compost, but also on the popularity of the product among farmers

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A much bigger issue are potential hazardous wastes in the compost raw material. While injection needles from health care wastes or glass chips may hurt workers sorting the waste, batteries or industrial waste water sludge may increase heavy metal concentrations in the waste. Thus, the sampling exercise aimed to trace out 1) the waste quantity available and 2) the waste composition with regards to compostable and non-compostable waste, but also amounts of potential hazardous materials, in order to distinguish between high- and low- quality waste for composting in Busia.

Results confirm the waste analysis figures of Makerere University (2006), assigned by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). The share  of non-compostable waste, such as plastic bags, is much higher at the the collection center in the residential area, while the market waste shows relatively high homogenity. Besides, the collection center in the residential area received health-care wastes from neighboring clinics.