Effects of waste management systems on the health of people; case study: Wobulenzi town council, Luweero district

Abstract

Waste management is recognized by the United Nations as a logical starting point for sustainable solid waste management. The United States Environmental Protection Agency,(2006) defines waste management as a broad term employing all waste management methods, source reduction, recycling, and composting that result into waste going to the landfill or combustion facility. Waste management systems have received much attention in developed countries leading to increased understanding of their application and thus their ultimate societal prevalence. In developing countries such as Uganda, waste management strategies are less familiar but have the potential to resolve the current waste issues. The current household waste management practices such as disposal by burning and indiscriminate dumping resulting from indiscriminate collection negatively impact public environmental health. Additionally, past interventions have not resulted into improvement in waste management. Therefore, an investigation was warranted to determine the effects of waste management systems in Wobulenzi Town Council based on the local need for sustained solutions. This study was carried out in Wobulenzi town council in Luweero district. It was carried out on the topic “Effects of waste management systems on the health of people in Wobulenzi Town Counci”l. The objectives of the research was to find out the garbage management systems in the town council, establish the nature of garbage generated in the town council and assess the effects of waste management systems on the health of residents, make conclusions and recommendations according to the findings as way forward for proper waste management in the town council. By using a case study design that employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches for data collection, data about waste management systems, nature of garbage generated in Wobulenzi Town Council was collected from the sample population. The researcher used various tools that enabled him to collect raw data and these included questionnaires, interview guides, Focus Group Discussions and observations. A population sample of 100 respondents was used to gather raw data and these included business institutions, household representatives, education institutions, and government health centers, private clinics, local leaders, Town Health Inspector, an Environment Officer and representatives of the garbage collecting firm to provide a wider outlook of the effects of waste on the health of the people. The study revealed that garbage management systems in the town council included but not limited to dumping, use of bins, burning on heaps, transporting to dump sites and use of pit latrines. The garbage generated in the town council were both degradable and non degradable. Malaria was found to be the most health problem posed by waste management in the town council, others included; pollution of the environment and other related diseases spread by vectors like house flies. Therefore, the effects of waste management systems on the health of residents included diseases like malaria, cholera, and they are spread by vectors which are common on garbage heaps. Finally, the study recommended health communication, education awareness programs on health risks regarding waste management practices among others.