Title : Assessment of solidwaste Managementat Panga and Kabonde Chiefdoms in Pujehun District, Southern Sierra Leone
Abstract:
Solid waste management is one of the most visible environmental and social issues facing Sierra Leone and is having a worrisome dimension with the growing urbanization rate. The need for economic growth to accommodate aspirations for an improved standard of living, tend to disproportionately escalate the rate of waste generation. Pujehun town does not has clear waste management plan (WMP) despite the rapid population increase, this compounding issue has strained the infrastructure, resulting into complicated environmental and social problems in the Community, notably solid waste management. This study evaluated the Solid waste management by solving the following research questions; How many Solid wastes are generated in Panga and Kabonde in the Pujehun District? Which Method are used for Waste disposal in Panga and Kabonde in the Pujehun? What are the effects of Solid wastes disposal in Panga and Kabonde in the Pujehun District? What are the Socio-demographic characteristics and educational level of the Respondents in Panga and Kabonde? What are the Livelihoods benefit of waste management in Panga and Kabonde in the Pujehun District? Descriptive research method was utilized to undertake the study. The population for the study was residents of the Pujehun community, which constituted respondents involved in/dealing with solid waste management, Healthcare facilities, and domestic and agricultural activities. The sample size was 300 individuals. Data collection was done with a 20-item validated questionnaire. Descriptive research technique was utilized for the study. Data analysis was undertaken using the descriptive statistics of percentages, graphs, table of frequency, and with the aid of survey Photos. The result was presented in accordance with the specific objectives; the Socio-demographic characteristics of the Respondents, the Method of Waste disposal in the Pujehun town, the effects of Solid waste in the District, and the Livelihood benefits of waste management in the Pujehun community. The results shows that the majority of the respondents are women (76%), the youthful age respondents are involved in Solid waste management in the Pujehun community (45% of 18 – 30 years), 22% attested that to have had complete secondary education, 56% of respondents are married, Petty business is the main earning activities (40.3%) in the study area, Majority of the respondents have an earning capacity of Le 450,000.00+ per month (37%), 88.7% of non- healthcare workers were interviewed in the study area, Dump site method is the main waste disposal method in the study area (48%), Market/domestic/kitchen wastes is the main type of waste produce in the study area (85.3%), (81%) attested to no separation of solid wastes before dumping, there is no –measurement of general solid wastes before disposal (98.7%), Healthcare waste including Pharmaceutical, & hazardous wastes are generated in the study area (82.4%), Incineration method of waste disposal is the main method of healthcare waste disposal (70.6%), Healthcare/medical wastes are 100% separated before disposal, the Dump sites are about 200 – 300 meters away from the closet water body/drains (32%), the Dump site is 100 meters away from the closet settlement/building (35%), Disease causing vectors is the Potential impacts of waste disposal method in the study area (42%), Agricultural benefit from the dump site such as organic manure is the main benefit derived from Solid waste management (77%) in the study area.
Audience Takeaway Notes:
- Make an economic analysis of the solid waste management system.
- Plan a recycling program
- Design a packaging waste separation facility
