The role of households in solid waste management in East Africa capital cities The role of households in solid waste management in East Africa capital cities Aisa Oberlin Solomon The role of households in solid waste management in East Africa capital cities Aisa Oberlin Solomon Thesis Committee Thesis Supervisor Prof. dr. ir. Gert Spaaragaren Professor of Environmental Policy, Wageningen University Thesis co-supervisor Dr. ir. P. Oosterveer Assistant professor, Environmental Policy Group, Wageningen University Other members Prof. dr. A. Niehof, Wageningen University Prof. dr. I.S.A. Baud, University of Amsterdam Dr. ir. G. Zeeman, Wageningen University Dr. S. Mgana, Ardhi University, Dar es Salaam This research was conducted under the auspices of WIMEK Graduate School The role of households in solid waste management in East Africa capital cities Aisa Oberlin Solomon Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor at Wageningen University by the authority of the Rector Magnificus Prof. dr. M.J. Kropff, in the presence of the Thesis Committee appointed by the Academic Board to be defended in public on Tuesday 25 October 2011 at 1.30 p.m. in the Aula. Aisa Oberlin Solomon The role of households in solid waste management in East Africa capital cities Thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen, NL (2011) With references, with summaries in Dutch and English ISBN: 978-94-6173-041-1 ISBN: 978-90-8686-191-0 The role of households in solid waste management in East Africa capital cities 7 Preface Solid Management is a concern in East African capital cities. The absence of managing solid waste is a serious problem. An ever bigger concern is the growing quantities of waste that are generated at households level in informal settlements. In most cases proper safeguard measures are largely ineffective or not in place at all. Moreover, unsafe disposal of waste in the region is coupled with poor hygiene. There is no doubt that East African capital cities need to formulate effective ways to manage their waste. This book is a result of PhD research within the framework of the PROVIDE project funded by INREF and carried out in East African capital cities (Dar es Salaam, Nairobi and Kampala). The work was carried out at the Environmental Policy (ENP) group with professor Gert Spaargaren and Dr. Peter Oosterveer as promotor and co-promotor. The focus of the research was to highlight the role of households in the production and management of domestic solid wastes. Inevitably numerous persons and organizations have contributed to this research since it began in November 2006. Each contribution has in some way enriched the process and facilitated my ability to bring the research to a successful conclusion. I gratefully acknowledge the support of all those who have assisted me in this endeavour but I will also make specific mention of those persons whose contributions have been especially significant to my work. More importantly and admittedly, I deeply appreciate the financial support offered to me by the INREF and the Environmental Policy Group under the PROVIDE project during the period of my study. I am also grateful to the study leave granted to me by my employer Dar es salaam Institute of Technology (DIT). I am heartily thankful to my promotor prof. Gert Spaargaren and co-promotor dr. Peter Oosterveer whose encouragement, guidance, comments and support from the initial to the final stage enabled me to develop an understanding of the subject. Without their dedication, this work would not have become a reality. Their advice throughout the work, as well as their constructive criticism have influenced my thinking. Through you I learnt to believe in my work and myself. I would like to give special appreciation to prof. Gert Spaargaren for who accepted me as his Ph.D. student without any hesitation. He offered me so much advice, patiently supervising me, and always guiding me in the right direction. As a result, research life became smooth and rewarding for me. I want to express my deeply felt thanks to PROVIDE coordinator Dr. Gabor Szanto, for his constant guidance, encouragement and for listening to my ideas. I also appreciate the advice and support from PROVIDE project partners from East Africa; Dr. Shaaban Mgana from ARU, Dr. James Okot-Okumu from Makerere University Institute of Environment and Natural Resource, Kampala (Uganda); and Dr. Caleb Mireri from Kenyatta University, Department of Environmental Planning and Management, Nairobi, Kenya. We worked very closely together throughout. A special thanks goes to Dr. Shaaban Mgana for his instructions and assistance during my field work. I enjoyed the company and the logistical support given by the other members of Environmental Policy Group, their cooperation and enthusiasm were essential. I thank you all for the strong cohesion. Corry Rothuizen deserves a special word of thank, for making sure that I had pleasant working environment and for taking care of the necessary logistics. 8 The role of households in solid waste management in East Africa capital cities My fellow scholars in the PROVIDE project are Judith Tukahirwa, Christine Majale, Mesharch Katusiime, Sammy Letema, Thobias Bigambo, Fredrick Salukele, Richard Oyoo. I am grateful for the friendship, laughter, care, support and the valuable time we had together. The journey became easier as we travelled together. I am grateful to Judith Tukahirwa for being a constant source of inspiration and great help. My time at Wageningen was made enjoyable due to the many friends and groups that became a part of my life. I am grateful to my roommates Christine Majale, Dorien Korbee and Hilde Toonen. I am also thankful to Harry Dabban Barnes, and Leah Ombis for being a great company. I will always treasure the social interactions with the past and present student community at Wageningen University. I have fond memories of the get-together parties with Tanzanians and the wider East African Community which offered me desired moments of refreshments and relaxation. I am deeply indebted to the students’ chaplaincy in Wageningen, ICF International and Amazing Grace Parish for their immeasurable spiritual sustenance. Worshiping at ICF was a wonderful experience. I cherished the prayers, Bible studies and support, and the friendship with my Christian brothers and sisters. I treasured all precious moments we shared, I would like to thank you so much. My deepest gratitude goes to my family for their persistent love and support throughout my life; this dissertation would simply be impossible without them. I am indebted to my father, Rev. Oberlin Solomon, for his care and love. He worked hard to support the family spiritually and spared no effort to provide the best possible environment for me to grow up and attend school. Although he is no longer with us, he is forever remembered. I am sure he shares our joy and happiness in heaven. To my loving mother, I have no suitable word that can fully describe her everlasting love to me. Her constant prayers and unconditional love have been my greatest strength. Mama nakupenda (Mother, I love you). Last but not least, I am greatly indebted to my devoted husband Dr. Edward E. Sawe. For intimate advice and personal support while doing this study, I relied almost entirely on my dear husband. He has been so inspiring for the entire period of my study. To my children Nsia, Elisha and Aluseta, I owe you a lot. They form the backbone and origin of my happiness. Their love and support without any complaint or regret has enabled me to complete this PhD programme. The role of households in solid waste management in East Africa capital cities 9 Table of contents Preface 7 Abbreviations 15 Chapter 1. Introduction 17 1.1 The problem of household waste 17 1.2 Research background 18 1.3 Problem specification 18 1.4 Relevancy of the study 19 1.5 Outline of the thesis 20 Chapter 2. An overview of solid waste management in Dar es Salaam city 21 2.1 Introduction 21 2.2 Description of Dar es Salaam city 22 2.3 Description of the solid waste management system 23 2.3.1 The situation from 1982 to 1992 23 2.3.2 Initiatives to improve solid waste management in Dar es Salaam city 24 2.4 National policies and the regulatory and institutional frameworks relevant for solid waste management 30 2.4.1 Solid waste management policy framework in Dar es Salaam 30 2.4.2 The Tanzanian legislative and regulatory framework for solid waste management 32 2.4.3 The institutional arrangements for SWM in Dar es Salaam 35 2.5 Existing solid waste management practices: some facts and figures 36 2.5.1 Total waste generation in Dar es Salaam city 37 2.5.2 Solid waste storage 38 2.5.3 Collection of solid wastes 38 2.5.4 Disposal of waste 41 2.5.5 Resource recovery 42 2.6 The waste stream and waste disposal practices 43 2.7 Resources available to the Dar es Salaam City Council for solid waste management 45 2.7.1 Financial resources 45 2.7.2 Technical resources 46 2.8 Conclusions 47 10 The role of households in solid waste management in East Africa capital cities Chapter 3. Understanding and improving household-waste management in East African capital cities: conceptual framework 49 3.1 Introduction 49 3.2 Integrated solid waste management 49 3.3 The concept of Modernized Mixtures Approach in solid waste management 51 3.4 The concept of households 54 3.4.1 Households as (key) elements and stakeholders in solid waste management chains 56 3.5 C onceptualizing the roles of households in domestic solid waste management chains 57 3.5.1 Households as key units of analysis 59 3.5.2 Solid waste management infrastructures 60 3.5.3 M odernized Mixtures Approach criteria: ecological sustainability, accessibility and flexibility 61 3.6 Research questions 62 Chapter 4.