Improper solid waste management practice and challenges in south omo zone: the case of jinka town, southern nations nationalities and peoples regional state, ethiopia, Horn Of Africa

Abstract

Solid waste is an inevitable and unwanted by product of our daily activities. It became a serious problem in many urban areas throughout the world with urbanization and growth of population.  Thus the main objective of this study was to assess solid waste management practice and challenges with a particularly to assess the existing condition of solid waste management practice; to identify the factors of improper solid waste management and its socio-economic and environmental effects in Jinka town. To meet these objectives cross-sectional study design was recruited. To achieve this simple random sampling was use to select respondent. Whereas, purposive sampling was employed to select sample Kebeles, key informants and focused group discussant. Thus, total 399 samples household heads was selected randomly from Mehal arada and Arkisha Kebele. Moreover, structured and semi structured interview, focused group discussion and observation was made to collect primary data whereas, secondary data from various written documents was also collected.  The data was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by using descriptive statistics. The result indicated that solid waste management in Jinka is incomplete and inefficient due lack of technological development, shortage of budget, lack of experts, lack of awareness in the community, absence of containers, final disposal site and transfer station. As result the communities of town dispose solid waste everywhere.  Consequently, such improperly dumped solid waste causing serious health and environment hazard in town. Therefore, employing experts, awareness creation, selection of proper disposal site, establishing transfer station and containers, fund rising, developing technologies like fertilizer, compost, biogas, and supporting small recyclers are main suggest option by the researchers to create clean and attractive urban environment.