Waste Management Challenges in Lusaka

CHAPTER 1

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Across the globe, management of solid waste is a major issue of public concern and it is observed that, in the countries that are less developed, the problem is more pronounced. Zambia falls in the category of less developed countries. Environmental health conditions decline as a result of poor waste management and that also brings about outbreak of diseases. Kumar et al., (2017) posits that management of solid waste is a major problem in the majority of developing countries and that is especially in the high-density residential areas. Different types of solid waste like effluent get dumped into water bodies; rivers, lakes and oceans leading to pollution of water and even the air. In almost every place where there is human activity, solid waste is present. Materials that accumulate as a result of the activities of human beings whether from domestic or industrial operations that are considered as being unworthy and that are also rejected have to be disposed (El Fadel and Maalouf, 2020). It is worth noting that the proper disposal of garbage is quite important as it ensures that all people remain safe from potential health hazards. The more waste we generate, the more of it has to be disposed. With the passing of time, one thing remain certain and that is, the accumulation of waste will outstrip its control. Just like many other parts of Lusaka, like Bauleni, Msisi and Kanyama, filth engulfs Garden compound. This could be attributed to the generational problems with the management, storage, treatment and disposal of waste. Other possible causes of this problem are the unconcerned attitudes of residents and their wrong perceptions on the management of waste. Today Garden compound is one of Lusaka`s low income neighborhoods with many poor and low income earners residing here which makes t largely a shanty. Garden Compound is found on Lusaka City`s North-Eastern side about 4.1 km from the city center ad covers up to 30km2. Waste management’s main objective it to handle the disposal of garbage in ways that are efficient and that cause no harm to the environment and also to public health. Garbage is so common in Lusaka, its everywhere, piling on front yards, side roads, main roads, backyards, bus stations, markets, basically, everywhere. This has led to the area recording an increased population of rodents as the heaps of garbage provide breeding sites for the rodents, mosquitoes and even flies. Unsightly scenes are presented surface dumps which are characterized by heaps of decomposing, decomposed and semi-decomposed domestic wastes. These pollute the environment and produce odor that is quite offensive. With no doubt, the stench that emanates from this heaps is a nuisance to the habitation and livelihood of human beings (Moh, 2017). While all community members are affected by the poor disposal of waste, children are at the greatest risk and in other places like Bauleni have been observed to suffer the most in the event of an outbreak of a disease. For instance, during the rain seasons of 2015-2016, there was a cholera outbreak which led to the death of three children. There are other diseases like diarrhea and malaria that have a relation to the poor disposal of waste that are quite common.

1.1Background

Solid waste generation has been on the rise and this is largely attributed to the rapid population growth, increased popularity of fast foods, changing lifestyles and the increased use of disposable utensils. According to Chowdhury et al., (2006), the generation of waste has been increasing enormously at an average rate of 8.96% annually. Lusaka has not been left out as it has also been increasing and over a period of fifteen years increased by 143% from 231 tonnes in 1996 to 649,000 tonnes in 2019. This has gone a long way in making the management of solid waste rather challenging for all those institutions that are charged with the responsibilities of managing solid waste (Mulenga, 2018). Some of the factors that make it very hard to deal with the bulk of waste produced are inadequacy of resources, logistics and skilled manpower. The inadequacy of these makes it rather hard to deal with the large volumes of waste produced. In urban areas, some of the activities that generate urban waste are sweeping of streets, domestic sources, industrial and commercial activities and also hospitals (Reed, 2002). It is worth noting that it is only a small fraction of all this solid waste is collected and disposed at the correct sites designated for such. The solid waste that remains uncollected lies on drainages, roadsides and on the streets. When it rains, this waste finds itself in waterways and this has been observed to lead to the outbreak of diseases like cholera that are associated closely to the improper disposal of solid waste. Additionally, they also lead to the deterioration of the environment and that is especially in the peri-urban areas that are adjourning to areas with high density population. The Environmental Council of Zambia, back in 2002 noted that the need for a strategy that was environmentally acceptable had grown into an urgent issue. The Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Act (EPPCA) defines solid waste as refuse, garbage, sludge and any forms of discarded materials that come about from communal and domestic activities and also from commercial activities. Other initiatives likes the National Conservation Strategy of 198 that was aimed at identifying the measures that aid in the improvement of management of waste, were there prior to the enactment of the Environmental Protection and Pollution Control Act. Additionally, in 1994, the National Environmental Action. Bundhoo (2018), notes that Zambia is faced with a critical problem of waste management that threatens the health of the Zambian populace, their development socio-economically and also the environment. Accordingly, this proposal examines and consults documents that are relevant to the researcher’s research proposal. The researcher will familiarize himself with the relevant and latest development.

The development of the knowledge in this area and with approaches used by other researchers, and results obtained will be discussed. Accordingly, the proposal will examine and consult documents that have relevance to the researcher’s proposed research. The researcher will familiarize himself with the latest development of the knowledge in this area and with approaches used by other researchers, and results obtained. The problems of management of waste in Zambia and the larger Africa is quite rampant. Typically, the disposal of waste happens with zero consideration for the impacts of the waste on the environment and also on the health of human beings and that is what leads to garbage accumulating everywhere in the urban areas. It is worth noting that one of the most common practices is the co-disposal of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste without separation.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The accumulation of solid waste is one of the environmental eyesores in the built environment (urban areas). The management of waste is one of the key functions of relevant authorities like Councils. This aspect is recognised as a topical issue that is also accountable for many other health and environmental related issues. As such, it has also been legislated through the enactment of relevant legislation such as the ZEMA Act, the Local Government Act Cap 281, The Urban and Regional Planning Act, and many others. There are also working institutional arrangements regarding waste management, such as those between ZEMA and the Local Authorities. In spite of an enabling legislation and institutional framework, solid waste disposal has remained a thorny issue in all urban centres in Zambia. This is a source of concern as the causal factors are not known. It is from this background that the need to establish these factors is realised. The study would therefore look into the perceptions, attitudes and practices of individual households regarding the disposal of solid waste. It is envisioned that by studying their perceptions, attitudes and practices, findings would bring out actual factors that have led to the status quo. In Zambia, programs and solutions for the management of solid waste are quite necessary as the problem has become very complicated. Considering Lusaka and Garden compound, experience tells that of all the waste collected, the waste that is disposed of properly does not even account to 20% of the total waste. Goods and services make a good standard of life for the people. The provision of services and goods should be qualitative. Any locality must have these things; failure of this may cause disasters to the public. It is not shocking to learn that some areas in Lusaka still have challenges. Litter in garden compound has stood on the way of people. As people keep on piling in the area, the concept of dirty unbearable conditions have become a mind boggling phenomenon. Because of the mushrooming squatter kind of housing, dirt has come to dwell with people. (Source: 2010 Pollutionin Africa ILO.org page 20)

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

1.3.1 General Objectives

According to the studies done by researchers such as Grant (2000), the objectives in a research must be able to give answers to the main subject that needs to be discovered from the study that one is conducting, and actually they should determine the goals that one must set out to attain in her/his area of study.

These should be stated clearly and specifically. One of the objectives of this research is to:

Find out the “why’’ of the ineffectiveness of the solid waste management in Sub-Saharan Africa.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

The specific objectives are:

To estimate the awareness level of people towards household waste management practices.

To explore the main health hazards resulting from uncontrolled garbage in the wards of Garden compound.

To establish the challenges faced by the Lusaka city council in disposing off garbage collected from Garden Compound.

To find long term solutions to the escalating levels of uncontrolled garbage throughout the city of Lusaka.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What are the major challenges faced by the city council in disposing off garbage?

What factors lead to the indiscriminate dumping of waste by the residents of Garden Compound?

What are the effective solutions for waste control and disposal?

1.5 RELEVANCE OF THE STUDY - JUSTIFICATION

Substantive negative impacts on the environment like soil, water and air pollution come about from the improper management of solid waste. Improper management of solid waste also brings about other health and safety problems like diseases that are spread by rodents and insects through garbage heaps and disposal sites that are unsanitary. The responsibility of provision of services of solid waste management are vested on local authorities which work together with other municipal services. The local authorities, however, have been observed to have it difficult to play their role which is aggravated by the lack of proper legislation in addition to poor municipal leadership, inadequate facilities and inadequate funds. Additionally, the rate at which the solid waste is produced is alarming and the failure to address this will in the near future have adverse effects on the residents of Lusaka and even for future generations. Outbreak of diseases could lead to the closure of institutions like schools and other institutions like hospitals would end up finding themselves strained. Generally, there will be a decline in productivity. It is worth noting that the dumping of solid waste which is not controlled often leads to land wastage as most of the land ends up being used as a dumping site. The findings of this study will with no doubt be significant to the local authorities as they will equip them with ways of improving the management of solid waste. Additionally, the findings will make contributions that are positive to the body of knowledge on management of solid waste by professionals in the health sector. Other benefits of this study include;

Intrinsically, the study is an eye-opener to the local authority and the community, the findings would trigger the impetus in the authority to plan.

Any health tips discovered on a society are good.

Society at large will directly benefit by any steps the authority may provide.

The study may benefit the future planners come up with solutions.

To make the public aware of the things they would dare take care of.

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter provides a review that is extensive of the literature in the area of study and research that has a relation to the management of solid waste in Garden Compound, Lusaka, Zambia. This chapter appreciates the work of other researchers in the field of solid waste and their extensive coverage of the issue.

2.1 Management of solid waste at a global scale

Babel and Liyanage (2020), describe management of solid waste as one of the cornerstones in the control and prevention of diseases that are communicable and also for the creation of beautiful cities, towns and residential places. Ineffective management of solid waste brings about obvious degradation of the environment. Quite distressing is the destruction of the beauty of the countryside by dumping of solid waste that is not controlled together with the visual offensiveness of litter on the streets. On a global level, the management of solid waste on a daily basis is an undertaking that is rather complex and also costly (Gottinger, 2018). The third world has different growing sectors which are observed to produce increasingly large amounts of solid waste that continue to pose serious problems to the environment. While it is not debatable that adequate management of solid waste is important for urban environments, majority of the city authorities have been observed to perform dismally in this. Joshi and Ahmed (2016), argue that most municipal councils offer services that are irregular to the producers of waste which forces the producers to come up with their own ways of disposing the waste. Among the methods commonly adopted by the producers are indiscriminate burning, composting and burning. In Zambia, this is very pertinent as the services of management of waste are to a large extent ineffective and inefficient. Mwanza and Mbohwa (2018), made an estimation that up to 83% of the residents of Zambia dump their waste in both unauthorised and authorised sites in their neighbourhoods as a result of their rather weak capacities of dealing solid waste which leads to the creation of conditions that are unsanitary. According to Bing et al., (2016), the bulk of the waste in the world`s urban areas is formed by residential domestic waste. Characteristically, these waste from households has high densities that have a high content of moisture and solid waste`s organic component which makes up for up to 70%, while the remaining percentage is made up of paper, tins and cans. Oluwatayo and Ojo (2018), further posit that because of the weak capacities of dealing with household wastes, up to 83% of the population dumps waste carelessly dumps waste which ends up creating conditions that are unsanitary. Additionally, the lack of adequate communal facilities often leads to open defecation along drains, beaches and other open spaces and that increases the chances of the mixing of household refuse with faecal material. Garden compound is rather densely populated and is characteristically a low-income area. The sanitary facilities there are not adequate. Disposal of waste indiscriminately comes about from the inadequacy as the waste is disposed into drains, waterways and gutters.

Ibrahim and Mohamed (2016), advocates for the location of sanitary sites close the generators of waste arguing that the choice of the majority of the dumping sites is inconsiderate of the distances residents have to cover to reach them. Inhabitants and traders are discouraged from using the dumping sites as a result of their distance from them. This results to littering of immediate surroundings. The management of solid waste in Africa has over the years been very difficult and challenging issue for all the nations (Samwine et al., 2017). Even as Zambia got political independence from British colonial masters in 1964, The Nation never got independence for a clean and healthier environment. Thus, there is not yet an achievement of independence of a clean and healthy environment.

Urbanisation and the generation of solid waste

Urbanisation and the generation of solid waste have an intimate relationship and as such, it becomes important to reflect on the phenomenon of urbanisation in the region. Up to 30% of the entire population of the world lived in urban areas in 1950. Chen (2018), predict that come 2050, up to 66% of the population of the world will be residing in urban areas. It is observed that Africa, and especially, the Sub-Saharan Africa has been urbanising at a rate that is quite fast than all the other parts of the world. Today, while Africa is considered to be the least urbanised of all the other continents, come 2050, Hanif (2018) estimates that over half of the entire African population will be residing in urban areas. From this trends, one thing that is quite clear is that the phenomenon of urbanisation has been gaining traction and it is expected that in the coming days, urban centres will continue being the engines of economic growth and the closely associated generation of waste. In the upcoming decades, urban centres are expected to bear burdens of poor health that will be directly as a result of the poor management of waste. In those countries whose economies develop rapidly like India and China, the ever increasing volumes of generated waste and the rather weak practices of management of waste pose serious risks to the health and wellbeing of the local people. Dodman (2016) points out that, today, the activities of human beings are increasingly recognised as the main causes of the current global changes in climatic conditions and environmental conditions that directly affect the well-being and health of human beings. Also, at the local municipal levels, different activities of human beings generate waste and these bring about major health and environmental challenges like dysentery, cholera, malaria which are infectious diseases and also respiratory complications. Increased impacts on health and the environment come about from increments in solid waste which comes about from the increased growth of urban populations. For majority of African local governments, services of management of waste form the single largest budgetary items. Africa`s urban growth lacks synchrony with expansion of economic opportunities and social amenities and it is observed that different cities continue to struggle with provision of services that are rather basic like water, shelter and the maintenance of clean environments amidst urban populations that are ever growing but to a large extent poor. Opara, John and Sempewo (2016), posit that it has always been considered that urban centres are places of better health and education services, wealth and opportunities. Historically, from the perspective of health, urban populations have always had better indicators of health when compared to rural populations and this has always been referred as the urban health advantage. The urban health advantage has been waning in the face of the new urban challenges.

Factors that influence effective practices of solid waste management

According to Farah (2019), for systems to be sustainable, it is quite important to take into account both long term financial costs and also short term costs of operation. In solid waste management, finance is related to budgeting, accounting for costs, investments on capital, reduction of costs and also the recovery of costs. Financial resources are concerned with the costs of operation for collection of waste and also operational financing. As such, for effective management of solid waste, financial monitoring, adequate budgeting, cost accounting and financial evaluation are quite important. Ma et al., (2018), however, argues that those officials whom the responsibility for municipal solid waste has been vested on lack adequate information that concerns the actual operational costs. That is largely attributable to the lack of the necessary capacity to use the financial methods and tools that are available. Additionally, the main reason for the inadequate collection and subsequent disposal of solid waste is financial constraints and that is largely because local councils are characteristically weak and lack adequate finances (Abbas and Wee, 2018). The costs of labour, fuel and maintenance fall under operation costs. Additional costs include the financial costs of purchasing vehicles for collection and transportation of waste. Tsai et al (2020), posit that the largest proportion of the overall expenditures of solid waste management are generally covered by the services of sweeping and collection. It is safe to conclude that the main reasons for poor waste collection and subsequent disposal are closely related to funding that is not sufficient and this brings about inadequate solid waste handling capacities, waste workers low morale as a result of poor remuneration, lack of training and also the lack of the appropriate manpower and expertise to run solid waste. In the developing countries like Zambia, often, budgetary constraints are felt whenever there is scarcity of resources and the subsequent dissemination of the limited resources is mishandled. The lack of awareness in the general population is another major constraint that is seen throughout the developing world coupled with the absence of effective practices for management of solid waste. Waste management can be improved through the improvement of the status of financial resources, costs of operation, and also the management of cost recovery. Mukhtar, Williams and Shaw (2018), posit that technical inefficiencies are the main reason behind the different challenges in the management of solid waste. In developing countries, an array of problems is displayed by systems of solid waste management and it is worth noting that among these problems, inadequate technical aspects are some of the main contributing factors to the setback. Different local governments experience financial pressures which encourage the tendency of concentrating only on short term costs of operation while at the same time ignoring the longer term financial costs (Rodić and Wilson, 2017). Ideally, enough money should be allocated for the facilitation of the management of solid waste, improvement of collectors rates of payment, provision of incentives and also for designing of mechanisms for generation of revenue. If financial situations are to be improved, it would be necessary for municipalities to adopt different strategies like segregation of waste, door to door collection with collection of waste happening on a daily basis or at least thrice weekly. Additionally, that waste that cannot be recycled and composted would have to be landfilled. Hamad et al., (2017) posit that one of the main reasons behind the inadequacy of collection services is the lack of adequate financial resources that would facilitate coping with the ever increasing production of solid waste. Huge portions of financial costs are spend on sweeping of streets, collection of waste, transportation of the waste and very little, if any, is allocated for modern systems of disposal like incineration and land filling as a result of inadequacy of funding. One of the possible ways of improving the financial aspects of solid waste management is attachment of solid waste fees to the billing for other different services like the supply of water.

Management and recycling of solid waste

Cristelo et al. (2020), made an observation that there is an association between high rates of recovery for recycling with tipping fees at waste disposal sites. The positive effect of high disposal pricing is that it facilitates the recovery of the generated solid waste. This goes to the value chains of solid waste and also its beneficial re-use. Mian et al. (2017) posit that regulatory factors and social influences are some of the important factors why different communities develop strong habits of recycling. According to the report, those individuals who frequently dispose their waste in bins have a higher likelihood of recycling different products while in their homes. In the majority of the cases, with the decrease of the distance to the recycling bins, an increment is also recorded in the number of fractions that people separate, sort and even collect their solid waste. Al-Khateeb et al., (2017) argues that, in order to increase the rates of recycling, local governments would need to encourage the markets for those materials that are recycled and should also put effort towards ensuring an increase in the number of professionals in those companies that are involved in recycling. Other helpful factors would be: increasing financial support for different recycling projects, supporting recycling company’s infrastructure and also the organisation of the informal sector for recycling of solid waste. With no doubt, collection of solid waste and its disposal is a major problem for the urban environments of different countries across the globe. Singh et al., (2017) posits that solutions for management of solid waste have to be sustainable financially, feasible technically, friendly to the environment and also legally and socially acceptable. Effective planning coupled with effective development strategies on the quantity and categories of the waste are quite important for the sustainable management of solid waste. As such, characterisation and quantification of all the sustainable systems of waste management are the most important processes. In particular places, the study of the composition and the different categories of solid waste facilitates the integration of technologies like recovery of resources and recycling in the concerned systems of solid waste management. With no doubt, the information assists in the development of infrastructural policies and also for planning of different sizing decisions that are related to the integrated programs of solid waste management (Abdel-Shafy and Mansour, 2018) . Waste management is strongly necessary for the prevention of serious health risks (Bing et al., 2016). The use of landfills as a technique of waste management is one of the most common technique for disposal of waste. People have produced waste from the beginning of civilisation. Solid wastes were in the earliest times disposed of in large open land space areas when population density was still rather low. The ever developing standards of living, growing populations and rapid urbanisation have created large amounts of solid waste across the globe. Management of waste addresses the utilisation of multidisciplinary approaches that range from engineering, humanities, biology to sociology. A country`s level of development reflects the impact on solid waste management and also the selection of such the management.

2.3 GAPS IDENTIFIED

In conclusion, there were certain gaps that were identified in the studies that were reviewed above which the current study will attempt to close. One serious gap is that of geographical gap. Literature shows that most of the researches done on a topic in relation to this topic have been in other geographical areas such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malaysia and other countries. The question is, can this be true in the Sub Saharan Africa and the Zambian context? Despite the fact that similar researches have been conducted in Zambia on similar topics, the focus has been different from this one. Therefore, this study established the understanding of an analysis of the challenges the Lusaka city council faced in doing their Job properly. Owing to this fact means that it will be very possible to come up with very good policy recommendation in order for the challenge to be addressed. This will help closing up on the gap and building a bigger foundation for future research on this topic. Secondly, findings sometimes vary across different data collection efforts because they use dissimilar survey methodologies and differing contexts. Therefore, using local council subscribers as well as council staff may yield results slightly different from what other researchers have found. This may help build up on the already existing literature on the topic in issue.

CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY

Introduction

The methodology which was used in this study is presented in this chapter. A discussion is provided of the research design, data collection method, the study`s location, the study`s target population and the sampling procedures together with techniques for pre-testing and instrumentation.

Research design

The research design is the overall plan of the way through which the research was carried out together with what is necessary so that it can answer the proposed research questions (Creswell, 2017). The study uses a descriptive survey research design. This determines and further reports the way things are through the description of attitudes, possible behaviours, and values and also the correspondent’s characteristics adopting questionnaires as the appropriate tool. In this case, for provision of a representative sample, both closed and open ended questionnaires were used and were derived from large populations of people residing in Lusaka.

Method of Data Collection

Different options were explored in looking for the most appropriate data collection method. Data was obtained from secondary sources and also through the use of questionnaires. While interviews would have been appropriate, the amount of data that could be collected from interviews would have not been sufficient for the questions that we sought to answer. Predominantly, quantitative research collects data that is numerical and largely relies on deductive reasoning which involves the finding of a relationships between different variables (Brannen, 2017). On the other hand, assumptions form the basis for qualitative research and exploration is necessary for uncovering the nature of processes. Questionnaires are standard sets of questions that are predetermined that are presented to different people using the same order (Goertzen, 2017). My approach facilitated my collection of information in large volumes in a way that was timely while also ensuring that the sample size that was obtained was reasonable. For purposes of legitimising the study, we prepared a well written introductory statement that had in it a clear illustration of the study`s purpose. We assured the respondents that they would remain anonymous and that the information they gave us would in no way be used against them. In the questionnaire, there was also an emphasis that there were neither right or wrong answers which was meant to ensure that at no point would the respondents feel as if they were stupid. To increase the rate of response, we used both open and closed ended questionnaires. Simple random sampling was used for the selection of the individuals who would fill the questionnaires. We also obtained an introductory letter from our School which endorsed the study for the purposes of increasing the study`s response rate. The collection of secondary data involved the summarisation, collection and further synthesis of data already in existence. Because the data in secondary research is obtained from studies that were carried out in the past, carrying out secondary research is relatively easy. It is worth noting that in secondary research, researchers never have to schedule time to collect primary data because data has already been collected for them and that makes secondary research rather time efficient. It is however, worth noting that there is always the risk that the data collected in secondary research could be out of date and hence be inaccurate. Researchers have to be very keen hence with the sources they decide to use for their studies.

Instrumentation and pre-testing

The questionnaires were developed on the basis of the literature review and its subsequent organisation was based on the researches objectives and background information. The purpose of doing this was to ensure the maintenance of the relevance of the research question. For refining of the design of the questionnaire and also identification of errors, pre-testing was done which was only apparent for the population that was concerned. It is always advised that those questions that are used for pre-testing are as similar as possible to the final group. Additionally, they should also take place in such conditions that are similar to those of the administration of the final questionnaire. Those individuals who were involved in pre-testing were not involved in the final sample.

Analysis of data and presentation

The data that was obtained from this study was coded and fed into computers. Subsequently, the data was subjected to analysis, statistically using Microsoft Excel. Tables and charts were used for the presentation of the findings of the study. To summarise the raw data, descriptive statistics taking the form of percentages will be used.

Location

Garden compound lies some 3.5 kilometres or 2.17 miles away from the city centre of Lusaka. The area sprang up due to the many settlers who came from some parts of Zambia, most likely, the Eastern part of Zambia. They came to settle in the area mostly to work and worked as garden boys, guards and maids in the surrounding areas like North mead, Rhodes Park, Emmasdale and Olympia. The area started as a low populated area around the farm of now known as Chilulu- however, it is now highly populated. This area is characterised by poor health and sanitation due to uncontrolled environmental factors and high population. The exact location of the area is shown on the map below.

Reliability and validity of the Research

The degree to which an outcome can be obtained with instruments that are similar more than once is measured using reliability (Silverman, 2016). It is possible to divide research reliability into four categories that include parallel forms reliability, internal consistency, test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability. For measurement of the challenges of collection of solid waste in Garden compound, weightage was provided on parallel forms reliability. This really helped the researcher in testing the same phenomenon through the use of different methods of analysis. On the other hand, the degree to which a researcher has adhered to scientific research method related guidelines for accomplishment of those objectives and goals desired is achieved through the use of validity. According to Pandey and Patnaik (2014), there are a total of five different validity tests that are available to researchers and these include criterion related validity, face validity, sampling validity, construct validity and also formative validity (Cypress, 2017). In this study, the researcher utilises the sampling validity test for derivation of desired outcomes of research. Through the picking of sampling validity, the researcher is able to do an evaluation of vast areas that are associated to the project.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The cornerstone of the study was informed consent. At the onset, the participants were informed of the study`s purpose and also informed of the results that were expected. They were informed that they had the rights of participating voluntarily. It was also set out clearly to them that the study, in its entirety was for academic purposes and there would be confidentiality of their responses. It is also worth noting that the entire procedures of collection of data are carried out in public areas and this is done so as to avoid situations where respondents feel intimidated by the atmosphere at times of data sharing.

Limitation

While the study outlines some very detailed methods for the attainment of its objectives, the study faced its fair share of limitations. For example, the budget within which the study was carried was rather limited which to a large extent really strained the researcher. If funds were adequately available, the researcher would have been able to carry out a more detailed research. It is worth noting that it is the lack of adequate finances that forces the researcher to rely on websites and databases that are freely available. There was also a limitation in the amount of time available which forced the researcher to settle on a sample size that was relatively small for the purpose of data collection. Another limitation is that the researcher has made assumptions at different instances. For instance, the researcher makes an assumption that the information that has been provided by the different respondents is true and accurate and lacks personal bias. In a real life scenario, this might not be true after all.

CHAPTER FOUR PRESENTATION OF THE FINDINGS

4.1 FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF PARTICIPANTS BY AGE

According to the table, the age group with highest frequency was 25-30 years representing 31% of the total participants. The minimum frequency was age group 45-50 years with a representation of 4%. The minimum age was 20 and maximum 46 years. The mean age was 32 years with a standard deviation of 6 years.

4.2 FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION OF PARTCIPANTS BY GENDER

Figure 4.2 is a presentation of the distribution of participants by gender. As shown, 43 (48%) of the participants were male while the majority 47 (52%) were female.

4.3 DISTRIBUTION OF PARTICIPANTS BY MARITAL STATUS

According to figure 4.3, 16 participants were single, 53 married, 2 were widowed, 4 were on separation and 5 had divorced.

4.4 DISTRIBUTION OF PARTICIPANTS BY LEVEL OF EDUCATION

Figure 4.4 is a pictorial representation of participants by level of education and as shown, 8 participants reported not to have gone to school, 15 reported having attained lower primary, 23 upper basic, 28 secondary and 6 tertiary educations. This gives an impression that most of the people in compounds have a low level of education.

4.6 LEVEL OF AWARENESS

4.6.1 Are you sensitized on household waste management by the council?

According to the figure above, 10 participants reported being sensitized on household waste management by the council. However the majority, 70 participants reported that not being sensitized on the same.

4.6.2 Are you aware of any garbage collection and management?

Participants were asked if they were aware of any garbage collection program as programmed by the Lusaka city council. 30 participants said no while 50 said yes. This shows that the council still has a lot to do.

4.6.3 Does Lusaka city council come to collect garbage?

Participants were asked whether the Lusaka city council has been going there to collect the garbage and other rubbish. According to figure 4.6, on 13 participants reported that the council collects garbage in that area but the majority (67) did not attest this fact. Some highlighted that inadequate services are the main cause of hips of garbage in the area. This shows that the council has not done the best for this area.

4.6.4 If Yes, How often do they come to collect garbage???

The 13 participants who reported that the council goes to collect the garbage were asked how often the council went to collect it. 2 reported once in two weeks, the majority reported once a month while 5 reported once in two months. This indicates that there is low commitment by the local authorities in seeing that the garbage is collected on time and always.

4.6.5 If No, who collects the garbage?

The 67 participants who reported a No were asked who then collected the garbage since the council had neglected their job.

11 participants said house maids, 26 reported that it was children, 5 reported that it was it was their parents and 25 participants reported that garbage collection was done by them.

4.6.6 How beneficial are these services to you as a resident of this area?

Participants were asked their opinion on how beneficial the services rendered by the council were to the local residents. 59 participants reported not beneficial, 15 reported beneficial while 6 of them reported not beneficial in any way. Some of the explanations given were that although the council has tried to do their job, they are way too far from doing it adequately for various reasons.

4.6.7 How satisfied are you with the services delivered in your area by Lusaka City Council?

Using a 4 point scale ranging from very unsatisfied to very satisfied, participants were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with the services offered by the Lusaka city council in their community. 30 participants rated it very unsatisfied, 37 rated unsatisfied, 3 of them rated satisfied while only 10 rated very satisfied. This general picture here therefore is that most participants rated unsatisfied with the council services.

4.7 COMPLIANCE WITH COUNCIL SERVICE CHARGES

4.7.1 Do you pay levies, rates, rents or other charges to Lusaka City Council?

According to the above figure, participants were asked whether they paid council charges.18 participants said yes; however the majority 62 participants said no. this shows that most of the residents do pay the charges to the council. One reason attributable to this fact is that no the council does not make itself available to the people. This means that most of the residents dispose off the garbage on their own.

4.7.3 How often do you receive a receipt after making a payment??

According to the above figurer, participants were asked to report how often they received a receipt after making a payment. 32 participants reported always, 5 said very often, 6 said often, 30 reported very -

Rarely, 5 reported never and 7 reported rarely. This also shows that there is a lot that needs to be done by the council to ensure that receipts are issued in order for people to have confidence in their work.

4.7.4 Do you think Lusaka City Council levies are affordable?

With regards to the affordability of the charges, 18 participants reported yes while 62 of them said not. This signifies that the charges by the council on local residents are somewhat high especially for an ordinary Zambian in the compound. This may make them avoid paying and do the job by themselves.

4.8 HEALTH RISKS AND HAZARDS

Participants were asked what sorts of health hazards were associated with uncontrolled garbage in garden compound based on their experience. Options were given an equal chance for all the participants to choose. As depicted, 55 agreed that cholera is one of the effects, all the (80) participants reported that air pollution was one of them. 29 said water pollution and 78 said environmental degradation. This clearly shows that there are many negative health hazards associated with uncontrolled garbage. So many case of cholera have been reported in Garden compound in the recent past years and which is consistent with the findings of this study. Air pollution is also one thing that is clearly apparent even when one passes through the compound.

4.9 CHALLENGES FACED BY THE COUNCIL DISPOSING OFF GARBAGE

CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION

5.1 To estimate the awareness level of people towards household waste management practices

This study`s first objective was to do an estimation of individuals levels of awareness on the practices of household management of waste in Lusaka`s Garden compound. Findings of the study were that people are now sensitized on garbage collection by the council; this is seen from the significant difference in responses between those who said yes (10) and those who said no (70). Although 50 participants reported that they were aware of the garbage collection process, they were all sceptical of the council involvement in the sensitization process of the act. Continuous public awareness is one of the most important steps that ensures the motivation and further engagement of the public on the basis of strategies for public awareness. Some of the activities that could be applied here are reduce, reuse and recycle which could be advertised on radio channels in Garden compound, bill boards, and local newspapers and also in street plays, public lectures and exhibitions. Other activities that really need to be encouraged are school eco-clubs and youth groups.

In the public motivation and awareness campaigns, some of the themes that could be discussed include:

Sustainable development and patterns of consumption.

Products natural source: Reuse and recycling.

Indiscriminate dumping and littering in open spaces, streets, footpaths and lanes into water bodies and other drainage channels.

Degradation of the environment and the effect it has on the quality of human life.

It is worth noting that the themes that could be discussed in these campaigns are not only limited to this.

5.2 Compliance to charges for council services

The second objective of the study was to ascertain levels of compliance by residents in adhering to charges imposed on them by the council for the services rendered. Participants were asked whether they paid council charges and findings showed that 18 participants said yes; however the majority 62 participants said no. This was an indication that most of the residents do not pay the charges to the council. One reason attributable to this fact is that the council does not make itself available to the people. Secondly, the charges are way too high for an ordinary Zambian in the compound to afford. This means that most of the residents dispose-off the garbage on their own. Results also indicate that participants specified their charges to the council and that these charges vary within the same locality, for instance 10 of them reported k10 per week, 2 reported k15 per month, 55 reported k30 per month and 13 participants reported k40 per month. This shows that there is no consistency in the council collecting levies and also that there is no reliability, hence differences in the charges. Further, participants were asked how often they received the receipt after making a payment. 32 participants reported always, 5 said very often, 6 said often, 30 reported very rarely, 5 reported never and 7 reported rarely. This also shows that there is a lot that needs to be done by the council to ensure that receipts are issued in order for people to have confidence in their work. Reasons as to why participants may have not been paying their charges could be many, the researcher asked the participants if the charges were affordable or not. 18 participants said yes while 62 of them said not. This signifies that the charges by the council on local residents are somewhat high especially for an ordinary Zambian in the compound. This may make them avoid paying and do the job by themselves. From the above analysis, it can be concluded that perceived high cost of the services by the residents results into avoidance by most of them paying these charges. Lack of consistency in collecting these levies by the council also may discourage them from paying the charges. Running away from paying the charges also means dumping off the garbage anyhow and anywhere. Therefore, the council should come up with a deliberate program that will sensitize people on the importance of following the right channel in dumping of wastes. The council must also make sure that they have a clear record of the statistics of each residence in order to clearly spell out the issue of receipts in cases where there are inconsistencies.

5.3 Environmental Degradation, Human Health, and Waste

This study`s third objective was to do a determination of the effects of the degradation of the environment on the health and way of life of human beings. The findings of the questionnaire show that those individuals who reside close to waste disposal sites have higher chances of being infected with worms, gastrointestinal parasites and other related organisms. The main areas of risk to the health of human beings are related to poor quality of air, soil and water. Additionally, an attractive breeding site for rats and flies is provided by inconsistent practices of collecting waste. This calls for a proper policy by relevant authorities to help curb the problem. The reason for calling for a deliberate policy is because budgets are made by policy makers in parliament and debated on. Those involved in the study point out to the fact that the management of solid waste is rather poor and this is evidenced by the large heaps of waste everywhere. The waste disposal sites are characterized by bad smells and disgusting appearances and most of the individuals living close to them generally lacked happiness. According to the respondents, different indicators of improper disposal of solid waste are scattered waste that during rainy seasons, often ends up blocking sewage canals and drainages and presence of a lot of flies, mosquitoes and rats in the vicinity of the dumping sites.

The council staff concur that the ugliness and bad smell of heaps of waste is the most obvious environmental damage. More serious risks include the pollution of air as a result of improper waste burning and the transfer of the pollution to ground water. The different waste activities generate different types of greenhouse gases. For example, methane is generated by landfills and nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide are generated from refuse fleets. Violated heavy metals like lead and mercury and furan and dioxides are generated from the burning of dumpsites openly. Leachate from unlined and uncovered dumpsites contaminates surface and ground waters. This is a serious health hazard which has not come to the attention of authorities. One thing that is quite unfortunate is that the most vulnerable people in societies are the worst hit by damage of local environments and that is because these groups do not have adequate resources of dealing with the negative effects that come about as a result of the degradation of the environment. Implementers of policies and law makers are not the worst hit by these negative environmental effects. Additionally, those individuals who reside under circumstances that are poor depend directly on their immediate surroundings for their survival on a daily basis.

5.4Establishing the challenges faced by the city council in disposing off garbage.

The fourth objective of the study was to establish the challenges faced by the city council in disposing off garbage. Findings of the study show that challenges faced by the city council in doing their job adequately revolve around issues of inadequate funds from government, high levels of corruption, inadequate resources such as Human Resource Management (HRM)Skills and council vehicles, mentality of people and lack of awareness programs to sensitize on the best procedure. For instance, an employee of the Lusaka City Council and Resident in Garden Compound, who requested anonymity among participants, had the following to say: “Money is not adequate to fund the services”. The government has always underfunded the council such that sometimes we end up suspending our works due to lack or insufficient funding. This problem has been in existence for a long time. How do you expect the council to deliver when there is no money? Lack of funding leads to many other problems including council vehicles not being repaired or maintained to the acceptable standards and lack of sensitization programs to bring public awareness to the public. The Waste Management Unit Director of the Lusaka City Council had few answers for me, and officially requested me not mention his name in my research and expressed the stress his department has, funding is the main problem, community education and awareness is the other if these are resolve we will be like you guys in England he said. Asked if the Government does not fund and the levy people pay. He said the Government funding is there but not enough to be honest we you, we are a developing Country, we don’t have big budgets, People struggle to the little amount of K30 Thirty Zambian Kwacha equivalent to £1.2=00 British Pounds ( One pounds and twenty Pence) These findings are consistent with Chitambo (2010) in his paper ‘Geographical Field Survey’ in which he found that the City Council of Lusaka, while being a corporate body expected to manage its affairs independently, merely operated as an agent of the central government. He went on to note that other councils have similar responsibilities in their areas. Financial autonomy is not enjoyed by Zambia`s local authorities including Lusaka`s City Council. They lack powers of raising taxes by themselves and are observed to be largely reliant on the government for financing. To a large extent, the ability of the council to raise finances is extremely limited and that is additionally, because they are not even allowed to borrow or receive grants from other organisations and foreign governments. Lack of funding comes out as the main problem faced by the council in executing their role as agents of the central government under local authorities. The similarities in the findings may be attributed to the similarity in the context between Chitambo and the current study. Looking at the Zambian compounds by many researchers may yield similar results because the challenges faced are similar if not the same. When compared to London Metropolitan Council which impressed me when I came to the United Kingdom, each Local Council or Borough has specific legal powers and are backed by Legal Institutions.

In the United Kingdom, the Local Borough of Newham or Havering have a local assembly which organises the affairs of Borough (Council) differently from the United Kingdom central Government. And the Local Government of a local Borough can be from a different political affiliation than the United Kingdom Central Government, this promotes transparency and accountability at all levels. In the United Kingdom, there are different programs from the European Union (EU) which sponsor regeneration programs to local councils, the grants are donated by the European Union as a partner in development of its member States, programs which do not exist with the African Union (AU). The Horizon 2020 is a European Union €80 billion grant of fund available over a period of 7 years (2014 to 2020) to help improve the Environment in the member States Countries including the United Kingdom. The Grant is donated for projects such as the Clean Town, renewable energy and recycling projects. These projects support the Local income regeneration programmes of Local Town Councils and Funding from the United Kingdom Central Government. Therefore, justifies the financial muscles of The United Kingdom’s Local Councils vis-à-vis the African City Councils specifically the Lusaka City Council in terms of performances, operation Structures, Marketing and Promotion of Services, Public awareness and communities Education in Areas of Waste Management disposal, recycling and good relationship between service providers and Clients , how to work hand in hand with the Council and achieve positive outcomes like in London or United Kingdom said the officer in the Department of Waste collection and disposal of the London Borough of Havering . This involves not only management but also politics and political policies, the politicians and the operatives department of Central and Local Government should work in the same direction to have positive results, it is not easy not even here, I can imagine the challenges of the weak economies he added. Effort to contact DSSmith Recycling was fruitless as the plant Essex recycling plant was closing down indefinitely.

Necessary changes to improve on management of solid waste

The administration of Garden compound really needs to make the use of waste as a resource that has increased value extraction through recovery, recycling and reuse as its core vision. The entire community in Garden Compound really needs to consider management of waste as a service that is essential that requires sustainable financing. A funding system needs to be developed for waste management that demonstrates the advantages sound waste management investments would have for the entire community.

Additionally, for improvement of solid waste management in Garden compound, a strong and independent local council is also very necessary. It is worth noting that there would be no improvements without clear regulation and enforcement. Innovation can be driven by strong regulations for management of waste. The waste management sector needs to include businesses that are both attractive and profitable and that have clear requirements for performance. Financial penalties should also be applicable whenever services or management of waste fail to work. A waste tax can also be imposed on the producers of waste to provide funding for infrastructure and companies that deal in management of waste. With no doubt, monies obtained from these taxes would go a long way in making management of waste more effective for the larger Lusaka.

Information should also be provided on the future quantities of waste and the characterization of the waste as such information determines the appropriateness of different options for waste management and treatment. For secondary and primary collection, state-level procurement of vehicles and equipment is quite necessary and has to have systems that are effective for the monitoring of collection, transportation and disposal. For long term planning on management of waste, the local council in Garden Compound needs long term project development and they should work in close collaboration with Non-Governmental Organisations and also the private sector.

Development of training and capacity building at different levels is quite necessary. All school going children in Garden compound need to have an understanding of the importance of management of waste, the negative effects of poor waste management practices on public health and on the environment and also the roles and responsibilities each individual and resident of Garden compound should play in the system of waste management. That would go a long way in developing citizens who are responsible and who consider waste as a resource opportunity.

CHAPTER SIX CONCLUSION

Management of waste is a process that involves the generation, prevention, and all handling of waste materials. In other words, it involves collecting, processing and disposal of waste materials. There are many different issues, that are related to the process of management of waste and they include the generation of waste, the minimization of waste, removal of waste, transportation of waste, re use and recycling, collection, storage, transfer, education and training, consideration of the environment, planning and implementation among many others. Management of waste that lacks efficiency has adverse effects on physical environments and creates different aesthetic problems. Different cities across the world have been growing rapidly and Lusaka has not been left out. This growth has seen the introduction of many different technologies that generate different types of waste that pose a lot of challenges to the municipality of Lusaka. With no doubt, a lot of efforts are required of the municipal council to come up with fresh strategies that are capable of accommodating the different stakeholders who are involved in the management of waste. The strategies they come up with should be capable of facilitating participation after extensive involvement right from the initial planning stages

Waste management in Zambia suffers from many factors such as lack of awareness to waste management among residents, low levels of compliance among residents and limited economic resources as well as poor funding which collectively result in the prevalent low standards of waste management services. The perceptions of the general public of disposal of waste as an issue of welfare service exacerbates this and this is the reason behind the public’s reluctance towards payment for services of disposal of waste. The waste management problems are worse in compounds because they are afflicted by conflicts and political instabilities. Such situations provide conducive environments for illegal Trans-boundary traffic of hazardous wastes. This involves dumping of wastes anyhow and anywhere.

6.1 RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings of this study, recommendations are as follows:

Government through relevant authorities should come up with a deliberate policy that will focus of waste management in which budgeting must be integrated in order to handle the problem of funding.

The public must be informed and educated about communal bins for biodegradable waste in different positions.

Inform the public about collection of the monthly household fee of Kwacha 30. (£1.2=00 United Kingdom Pounds Sterling ). A strong public awareness campaign would be very necessary dwelling on how human health is affected by different types of waste aiming at increasing the participation of the local community in waste management.

Programs for sensitization and training should be initiated among media personnel so as to equip them with the necessary knowledge on emerging issues on management of waste and best practices.

Increasing the number of personnel who are both qualified and trained is also very important as these individuals engage in the management and further operation of different systems for waste management.

The private sector also needs to be encouraged to take part and invest in systems of waste management and they should also endeavor to address issues of high capital costs.

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