1. Results from desk research and interviews
Busias SWM system bases on waste collection centres, where waste generators can dispose their refuse. BMC collects the waste from these centres with the help of 15 workers and one truck. Wastes from markets are disposed to the fields of farmers, who use it as fertilizer; other wastes are dumped in the outskirts of Busia. Basic estimations suggest that only a portion of the waste is collected, while the rest is burned, dumped, littered, or domestically recycled/reused.
Figure 1 shows the waste collection through BMC, figure 2 the recycling of market wastes through farmers.
2. Results from questionnaire surveys with households and other establishments
The questionnaire surveys with households and none-households (schools, shops, etc.) show that maximum half of the waste is directly transferred to the collection centres; the residual is either indirectly transferred (e.g. through informal waste collectors or firstly littered and then collected through street sweeping), disposed, burned, or recycled. Depending on the waste fraction, 10-15% of respondents sort-out waste for reuse or recycling, which happens mostly on domestic level. An organized informal recycling sector that adsorbs larger quantities of waste has not been observed. The satisfaction with SWM service in town is higher for private households than for none-households, but most respondents consider it as an issue of importance that should be improved. Most stated desires are, more collection centres, door-do-door collection, or improvement of the collection frequency. Active willingness to participate in voluntary sensitization or action is high if directly asked.
Figure 3 and 4 show the research team of YES and TUW during data collection.
Figure 5 and 6 show the responses to waste disposal practices in Busia's 24 villages.
Figure 5 and 6 show the responses to waste disposal practices in Busia's 24 villages.
Figure 7 shows the responses of non-households , figure 8 the responses of households on waste sorting for re-use or recycling.
3. Results from interviews with health centres
The interviews with health centres show on one hand great concerns of respondents on solid waste management regarding public health, with a strong appeal to BMC for improvement of waste collection and treatment. On the other hand, respondents present their own waste disposal and treatment practices, which is 1) separation of non-hazardous and potentially hazardous wastes (mainly infectious hospital wastes) and 2) disinfection and treatment of potentially hazardous wastes. Treatment is through burning in small scale incinerators without air pollution control, barrel burning, pit disposal and burning, and backyard burning. The two latter cannot guarantee no-access of trespassers.
Figure 9 shows an accessible corridor where medical waste is openly burned, figure 10 a medical waste incinerator at a health center.
Figure 9 shows an accessible corridor where medical waste is openly burned, figure 10 a medical waste incinerator at a health center.
4. Results from survey on agricultural practices
A survey on agriculture as a current, but also potential absorber of bio-waste, shows that the domestic recycling of household and agricultural wastes generated in-situ is quite common, but the use of wastes from other households or sources is not. Generally, the use of commercial mineral fertilizer is low (2% of respondents), which gives an idea on the marketability of e.g. compost. Besides, manpower and agricultural mechanization level is quite low, making the large-scale application of low-concentration-high-mass-flow fertilizers such as compost more difficult.
Figure 11 shows a research assistant and an interviewee, figure 12 the response of farmers to fertilizer and manure usage.
Figure 11 shows a research assistant and an interviewee, figure 12 the response of farmers to fertilizer and manure usage.
5. Additional information on waste management
The additional information gathering shows that, besides stakeholders already mentioned, street kids and people (collect and pick for waste), street sweepers and waste collectors (employed by private operators or self-organized), play a role which is, in terms of material flows, probably not too big yet, but can be a starting point for future alternatives.
Industrial waste has not been covered so far in this research.
Figure 13 and 14 show unemployed and private employed waste collectors.
Figure 13 and 14 show unemployed and private employed waste collectors.
6. Presentation and discussion of results at the stakeholder workshop
The gathered information does not only flow into a systems description which is continuously adapted, but has also serves as a base for subsequent research actions. Results have been presented to about 70 stakeholders (District, Municipal, Local authorities and politicians; NGO/CBO representatives; religious leaders) in a stakeholder workshop on 8.10.2010. The subsequent discussion, which was mostly driven by the concerns of local politicians and NGOs, showed that solid wastes are a matter of interest, but less than human wastes. It appeared that the distribution of responsibilities among local and municipal stakeholders is not clarified yet.
Figure 15: The Mayor of Busia welcomes stakeholders to the workshop, who actively participated in the discussions (figure 16).
Figure 15: The Mayor of Busia welcomes stakeholders to the workshop, who actively participated in the discussions (figure 16).
