Not available / text

No description available.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of poor solid waste disposal on a sustainable environment/development in the Mzamomhle urban informal settlement. According to Coffey & Coad, (2010) informal or squatter urban communities pay no municipal taxes, because of their informal status, and this fact has often been used as the principal argument against providing these communities with municipal services.

The main objective of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of the strategies employed by the City of Harare in household solid waste management. To achieve these, structured questionnaires, interviews, observations and focus group discussions were employed in data gathering together with secondary data. The study was conducted in Harare’s low, medium and high density income suburbs. Findings revealed that organic solid waste constituted the largest proportion of waste generated in Harare and other forms are also generated yet their collection is very minimal. Residents resort to illegal night dumping, resulting in the proliferation of associated diseases. In light of these findings, it was recommended that waste collection entities be capacitated, people be educated on waste recycling, reduction and reusing. A commission was to be put in place to ensure proper enforcement of waste legislation, effective and sustainable day in running of household solid waste management in the city / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc. (Environmental Management)

M.A.(Geography) / The prevention of environmental deterioration and the concept of sustainable development has become a major concern worldwide. However, increasingly affluent lifestyles along with continual commercial and industrial growth have led to the rapid increase in waste production (Renoua et al., 2008). The most common method of dealing with this production of waste is the disposal thereof by landfill, although this technique is widely viewed as unsustainable. Landfilling is critical to integrated waste management in South Africa due to its simplicity and cost effectiveness (Allen, 2001). Thus, there is a great need for environmentally acceptable landfill management practices. This research is primarily concerned with landfill management strategies and their effect on operational and management issues. A comparative analysis of the Marie Louise and Rooikraal landfill sites was carried out to distinguish differences in landfill management strategies and their outcome on operational and management issues. A concept, indicator, variable approach was used as comparative framework, while external audit reports, landfill management plans, and interviews were used as data sources identifying indicators and variables for analysis. Findings revealed that the Rooikraal landfill has been performing at a high standard, while the Marie Louise landfill has been underperforming due to a number of management failures. Factors that could have contributed to this failure include: external factors and its strain on effective management, capacity of local governments to deliver services with regard to waste management, issues surrounding co-operative governance, legal enforcement and compliance, and lack of control and awareness over landfill operations. These issues are direct consequences of landfill management and operation through municipal entities, making landfill management through municipal entities a key area of concern for effective landfill operations.

A number of environmental, social and economic problems are associated with waste disposal in landfill operations. The potential hazards associated with landfill operations are numerous and include fatal accidents, infrastructure damage, pollution of the local environment, harmful air emissions, to simple nuisance problems – such as dust, odour, vermin, and noise pollution. Further challenges include the availability of land and lack of municipal or other financing in the face of rising operation costs. Landfilling is, however, seen by many as an environmentally responsible and cost-effective solution to waste disposal. It is acknowledged however to lead to waste of resources by burying valuable materials that could have been reutilized. Careful engineering can resolve this shortcoming, yet the associated challenges and costs can become prohibitive. The regulatory environment also affects the prospects for adopting this approach to landfill site management in different contexts. The Mariannhill landfill site in eThekwini Municipality, South Africa, provides an opportunity to investigate both the range of challenges which these type of sites encounter, and the solutions which have been developed as a response. The central questions which this research seeks to answer are whether the practices adopted by the Mariannhill landfill site are replicable in other solid waste landfills around eThekwini and whether it can be viewed as an example of best practice in landfill site management more generally. The research finds that the main barrier to easy replication of systems followed at Mariannhill in other landfill sites is the difficulty in replicating the specific structures and character of management. Another key determining factor found is the prevailing attitudes to recycling and the environment in general in the society. Consumers choices are seen to be critical to the prospects for recycling of solid waste, including the size, degradability and recyclable potential of products purchased. In considering the potential for replication of the Mariannhill model as an example of best practice, it becomes clear that the technical aspects of operations at Mariannhill are the most easily replicable, yet other and equally important determinants of success are not easily replicable. These include the existing regulatory environment and prevailing societal attitudes towards recycling. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Waste management is a global challenge due to high waste generation resulting from high industrialization, urbanization and challenges relating to the efficient implementation of waste management policies acts and standards. Although South Africa has established a number of good waste management policies and related acts and standards, most municipalities still find it challenging to efficiently implement waste management strategies. Ekurhuleni Municipality is facing challenges with the implementation of effective waste management strategies and compliance to the National Environmental Management Waste Act (2008), (NEMWA) (Act No 59 of 2008). An evaluation of the gaps that exist between NEMWA and the local implementation in the formal and informal parts of the Ekurhuleni Municipality was undertaken in this study. Data on the waste management scenario as collected through questionnaires, interviews and observations revealed that differences relating to the poor establishment of an integrated approach to waste management exist between NEMWA and the local implementation of the act. This was realized through the fact that there is limited community education on waste management, no waste recycling facilities in some residences, irregular and insufficient collection of waste and non compliance with tariff payments for most informal residents and some formal residents. Differences also exist in the waste management strategies between the formal and informal areas of the municipality primarily due to the fact that the informal settlements are mostly unplanned and considered illegal. According to this study, informal residents are not billed for waste management services and as such most of them do not pay for waste management services. To that end, waste is not efficiently managed due to municipal financial constraints. Waste management challenges in Ekurhuleni Municipality are also attributed to lack of or insufficient knowledge regarding sustainable waste management practices and its benefits amongst the waste generators and some waste management employees. / Environmental Sciences / M.A. (Environmental Management)

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Waste management is a global challenge due to high waste generation resulting from high industrialization, urbanization and challenges relating to the efficient implementation of waste management policies acts and standards. Although South Africa has established a number of good waste management policies and related acts and standards, most municipalities still find it challenging to efficiently implement waste management strategies. Ekurhuleni Municipality is facing challenges with the implementation of effective waste management strategies and compliance to the National Environmental Management Waste Act (2008), (NEMWA) (Act No 59 of 2008). An evaluation of the gaps that exist between NEMWA and the local implementation in the formal and informal parts of the Ekurhuleni Municipality was undertaken in this study. Data on the waste management scenario as collected through questionnaires, interviews and observations revealed that differences relating to the poor establishment of an integrated approach to waste management exist between NEMWA and the local implementation of the act. This was realized through the fact that there is limited community education on waste management, no waste recycling facilities in some residences, irregular and insufficient collection of waste and non compliance with tariff payments for most informal residents and some formal residents. Differences also exist in the waste management strategies between the formal and informal areas of the municipality primarily due to the fact that the informal settlements are mostly unplanned and considered illegal. According to this study, informal residents are not billed for waste management services and as such most of them do not pay for waste management services. To that end, waste is not efficiently managed due to municipal financial constraints. Waste management challenges in Ekurhuleni Municipality are also attributed to lack of or insufficient knowledge regarding sustainable waste management practices and its benefits amongst the waste generators and some waste management employees. / Environmental Sciences / M.A. (Environmental Management)