Waste Management Problems in Jimma, Southern Ethiopia.

Abstract

The major objective of the project was to design an approach to the problem of indiscriminate and nonclearance of generated wastes in the slums in Jimma town. The project, therefore, aimed to orient Jimma inhabitants to be hygienic, and to encourage the community to participate in setting up mitigating measures against environmental pollution through interface consultations using focused Group Discussions and In-depth Interviews. The scope of the project was limited to the more-slum wards in Jimma town. The findings were conspicuous, that speed of urbanization of Jimma town since ten years back became faster than the previous years, but a subsistence-urbanization. Subsistence urbanization is characterized by increase of the settlement in terms of scale and pace without corresponding increase in sanitation, infrastructures and without mitigating measures to address urban violence. The Wareda has been clearing the wastes where they placed the dustbins. It has also a number of town center cleaners. However, much of the cleaning of the streets and disposing of the wastes are individuals' efforts. The project encouraged more individual and group/community and professional effort in the cleaning of their nearest environments, and to earmark disposal units in the streets/wards. The Wareda was advised to increase distribution of dustbins and to embark on enlightenment. The generated animal and household wastes are good research materials for environmental scientist interested In studying what are generated, the chemical contents of the wastes and their impact on the immediate environment. The key concepts in this study are: Generation of domestic wastes and waste disposal; Urban pollution controls cum Waste Management.

Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies of Management Vol. 1 (2) 2008: pp. 8-15