Solid Waste Management At Subin Sub-Metro Of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly
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Date
2011-07-12
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Abstract
The research work examines ways of improving solid waste management in the Subin Sub-metro of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA). A descriptive cross-sectional study based on structured questionnaire was used to gather data on the methods of solid domestic waste management in the Sub-metro and the factors that affect waste management and the inhabitants such as geographical assess to dumping sites, public education and sensitization, equipment holding capacity of KMA and private service providers, and public health effects and make some recommendations to authorities, private sanitation agents and other stakeholders in improving the management of refuse in the Sub-metro. 246 respondents were considered from suburbs within the Sub-metro which include Adum-Nsuase, Asafo, Asem, Anlo Fante Town, Baamu-Dominase, Dadiesoba, Fante New Town, Ministries and Pampaso by simple random probability sampling. The results revealed that domestic waste, composed mostly of organic content is highly generated (85.4%). A greater portion of the respondents have moderate knowledge (50.4%) on solid waste management whiles only a small portion have high knowledge. The sources of information are greatly attributed to that from schools (36.6%). KMA Education Unit as well as the media also play keen role on education. Many respondents (82.1%) understand solid waste treatment as storing, transporting and disposing of refuse hygienically. A great percentage of the respondents (61.8%) dispose of their waste at a storage point whiles a small percentage (0.8%) dispose theirs in back yard gardens. About 62.6% of the respondents pay for refuse disposal whiles 37.4% of them do not. 47.2% of the respondents have their sites close to them whiles 22.8%, 17.1% and 11.4% have their sites quite far, far and too far respectively. Ironically, the least supported option of waste management methods hierarchy, surface/open dumping method, is the method greatly used (38.4%) in the Sub-metro whiles 4.9%, 13.05%, 33.3% and 8.1% of them use composting, incineration, landfill and recycling methods respectively. A great percentage of the respondents (72.4%) have no land available in their suburbs for construction of dump sites of waste whiles only 27.6% have land available in their suburbs. Most leaders were unwilling to release land due to high cost of land and its economic value within the Sub-metro. The management of solid waste is generally not the best and must be carefully considered to avert the accompanying problems of improper solid waste management.