Solid Waste Mismanagement in Informal settlements

Solid waste mismanagement remains a significant problem of municipal authorities (MC) in informal settlements. Solid waste mismanagement (SWM) results from the ineffective process of collecting, treating, and getting rid of solid material that has been cast away after its importance has been depleted. The origin of solid waste mismanagement dates back to the onset of integrated solid waste handling that focus on finding solutions for converting waste items into reusable material. This research project will study how solid waste mismanagement (SWM) is occurring in informal settlements and the genesis of the problem. This study aims to examine the origin and causes of solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements and their effects on the environment in these countries. This study's research design will be a descriptive survey with 234 participants from informal settlements in five informal settlements. A structured questionnaire with open and closed questions was administered personally and through e-mails. Data gathered was then coded and analyzed using the SPSS version 20.0. The study concludes that the effects of solid waste mismanagement strategies in these areas were health hazards and crime. This study in the future implies that it provides recommendation on how to formally organize solid waste handling practices to prevent these adverse effects

Introduction

Solid waste mismanagement (SWM) results from an ineffective process of collecting, treating, and getting rid of solid material that has been cast away after its importance has been depleted. The origin of solid waste mismanagement dates back to the onset of integrated solid waste handling that focuses on finding solutions for converting waste items into reusable material. Solid should be converted into valuable resources. However, when this is not achieved, solid waste mismanagement occurs, resulting in pollution to the environment. This kind of pollution encourages the breeding of rodents and insects, which spread diseases to humans. Informal settlements experience a high rate of solid waste mismanagement due to their disproportionate distribution of resources that disadvantage their citizens.

Background of Solid Waste Mismanagement

Solid waste mismanagement involves the failure to implement effective strategic collection, transportation, storage, processing, and discarding of solid waste residue within a sanitary landfill through an engineered process. In informal settlements, solid waste mismanagement is a common challenge because little effort is put in place to implement an integrated process of segregation of solid wastes into biodegradable plastics, glass, metals, paper, and non-decomposable. Solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements arises due to a lack of technical expertise, financial capability, and political will. The integrated solid waste handling process that informal settlements apply is not effective at all (Ramachandra, et al., 2017). Besides, informal settlements apply ineffective methods of solid waste collection, transpiration, and storage. The genesis of solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements can be traced back to the onset when these countries stopped putting effort into using recyclable materials to implement reduction of waste quantity and facilitate recovery mechanism, thus resulting in solid waste mismanagement. 

Literature Review

Nations have struggled with the problems associated with solid waste mismanagement for quite a long time. Recently communities have begun to realize the hazards that come with the mismanagement of solid waste. For a long time, landfilling has been preferred by many developing nations. Maybe this is so because it's the cheapest available means of waste handling. During incineration, there is a lot of smoke that emanates from the incinerator. Such smoke has a very negative impact on the environment (Ramachandra, et al., 2017). They consist of Dioxin, which is associated with cancer. 

In informal settlements, industrial wastes are always discharged into rivers and lakes due to solid waste mismanagement. When such wastes are discharged into the water, they alter the water ecosystem leaving the water polluted. Some of the effluents are always dangerous to aquatic life leading to declining fish numbers in our rivers and lakes (Ferronato & Torretta, 2019).  To address solid waste mismanagement issues, the authority should also enact laws and by-laws to streamline the activities in the sector. With the government's intervention, the recycling workers can be recognized, and the prices of recycling material can be stabilized. There should also be a collaboration with NGOs to provide funding.

Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework that will guide this study is urban ecology theory that embodies the influence of humans on their natural environment within urban settings. The theory integrates the impacts of urban planning on solid waste handling. This theory is based on the natural science perception that the interaction of urban dwellers with their environments creates an ecological concept that demands effective management of the wastes from their activities (Ferronato & Torretta, 2019).  

Statement of Problem

Informal settlements experience challenges with solid waste mismanagement due to the production of wastes at a rate that outpaces their capacity of collecting and disposing of them in a safe location. The problem of solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements arises due to social and economic challenges such as congestion, poor housing, lack of proper urban planning, lack of proper sewerage, drainage, and solid waste disposal systems that result in solid waste mismanagement. The unprecedented increase in their population also leads to the generation of too many solid wastes that their management capacity cannot withstand (Ferronato & Torretta, 2019). Given the adverse effects of solid waste mismanagement on environmental, aesthetic beauty, public health safety, and the security of people in informal settlements, there is a need to identify the effective strategies that can be used to manage solid waste disposal in these countries.

Governing Principles

The governing principles for this study are the urban ecology theory that will focus on health issues, pollution, social conflicts, and environmental degradation that could arise from solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements (Ferronato & Torretta, 2019).  Social issues such as conflicts, prostitution, wars, misunderstandings, crime, and societal clashes are the major issues highlighted by the participants as the consequences of solid waste mismanagement practices within their neighborhoods.

Equations

This paper assumes that informal settlements have tried to manage their solid wastes within their jurisdictions but have failed due to the generation of solid waste that is beyond their capacities to manage. Moreover, the solid waste mismanagement strategies that these countries employ have failed to meet the overall expectation of the public due to the high rate of solid waste products that exceed the capacity of these countries to collect, transport, and safely dispose to landfills (Ramachandra, et al., 2018). As a result, there is a major problem of solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements that is directly equated to too much solid waste generated beyond their capacity to effectively manage.

Legislation

The legislation governing the challenge of solid waste mismanagement is drawn from both federal, state, and local authorities that obligate municipal authorities (MC) to handle solid waste within their jurisdiction (Ramachandra, et al., 2017).

Scope of Work

The scope of work in this research will focus on solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements concerning informal settlements where these solid waste mismanagement practices occur. This study defined solid waste mismanagement and then give an overview of how it occurs in informal settlements. The paper will provide background data and information about solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements and the genesis of the problem. The paper will include real-life qualitative data about contamination in soil, groundwater, air surface water, and people's health (Serge & Simatele, 2020). This paper also recommends various ways of solving solid waste mismanagement in developing poor countries as well as methods for collection, recycling/ reuse, and disposal. The paper will include holistic standards and innovative methods to solve the collection, recycling, and disposal in a solid waste Mismanagement environment. the paper provides an analysis of each recommended method in terms of economy (cost), legal (laws), environment.

Experimental/Research Approach/Methodology and Details

This study's research design will be a descriptive survey with 234 participants from informal settlements in five informal settlements. A structured questionnaire with open and closed questions was administered personally and through e-mails. Data gathered was then coded and analyzed using the SPSS version 20.0. The causes of solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements include the generation of too much solid waste beyond the capacity of these countries to effectively manage. The adverse effects of solid waste mismanagement strategies in these areas were health hazards and crime (Serge & Simatele, 2020).

Impact of Solid Waste Mismanagement on Environment

Many voids or derelict lands are rendered useless due to extractive activities like sand mining. Solid waste mismanagement practices involving the use of sanitary landfilling alter the natural structure of the soil and cause environmental and health hazards. The underground ecosystem is also interfered with as some of them end up dying beneath the compacted waste (Ferronato & Torretta, 2019). Solid waste mismanagement practices such as the burning of plastics also produce compounds that are also responsible for ozone depletion. This left man exposed to harmful sun's rays which cause complications on the human skin. The smoke is also very harmful if man inhales it. Most surface waters are always a source of water for animals and man, so discharging harmful germs on the water equates to poisoning man and animals. 

Contamination in Soil, Groundwater, Air and Surface Water, and People Health

The global freshwater is almost purely groundwater in the rock fractures. If the groundwater is diverted or removed, it can affect the flow of underground water; when water quality is altered, the standard of water being discharged from spring will be compromised. This can endanger the whole human population (Ferronato, et al., 2017). Surface and underground water are therefore directly linked, so protection of its quality is of utmost importance. Purifying polluted groundwater may be an uphill task. Incinerators are used to manage waste that cannot decompose when buried and cannot be recycled. Groundwater is an important component of the ecosystem; they are the source of surface water through springs and seepage to surface water bodies. It's part of the water cycle on the underground.

Solid wastes were thrown everywhere during the distant past, and they accumulated on the roadside and open streets. Greece came up with laws on waste mismanagement in 320BCE, and in Rome, property owners were tasked to clean the streets in front of their buildings (Ferronato, et al., 2017). Collection of wastes was only done when state-sponsored parades were held in town and major cities around the world. Waste disposal was done in open pits just outside the walls of the city. When Rome collapsed, the local government sanitation began to decline. By 1714, all the cities in England were to have a scavenger. 

In informal settlements, waste disposal was still very crude; waste was dumped into the rivers to be washed downstream. In the 19th century, a more technical approach to waste handling was developed. Informal settlements introduced watertight cans and vehicles to collect and transport the collected wastes. An incinerator was later constructed in 1874 and embraced by major cities though a few were still disposing of wastes on open land and rivers (Ferronato, et al., 2017). With time landfills were designed to reduce risks to public health. Today, Nations emphasize recycling solid waste to reduce environmental pollution.

Recommendations

How to Address Solid Waste Mismanagement in Informal settlements

To address solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements, efforts should be put in recycling plastics, metal paper, and glass (Ferronato & Torretta, 2019). Some strategies should be formulated to help support the management activities, public awareness to help inform the public in the importance of managing waste in a specific manner, and eradicate or reduce the stigma associated with people working on the dumpsite.

Additionally, informal settlements should also enact laws and by-laws to streamline the activities in the sector. With the government's intervention, the recycling workers can be recognized, and the prices of recycling material can be stabilized. There should also be a collaboration with NGOs to provide funding. Informal settlements should implement solid waste collection, transportation, storage, processing, and discarding of solid waste residue within a sanitary landfill through an engineered process (Ferronato & Torretta, 2019). Informal settlements should put more effort in place to implement an integrated process of segregation of solid wastes into biodegradable plastics, glass, metals, paper, and non-decomposable. 

These recommended methods for collection, recycling/ reuse, and disposal include holistic standard and innovative methods to solve the collection, recycling, and disposal of solid waste. Among the major approaches that informal settlements should implement to solve their solid waste mismanagement challenge include composting, conversation to power, and disposal in a designated engineered sanitary landfills (Ferronato & Torretta, 2019). These proposed methods are all economically viable, cost-effective, and legally permissible at both international national, and local levels. They are environmentally friendly and would result in the conservation of the environment at all costs.

Summary and Conclusions

Solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements has adverse environmental implications and leaves environmental decay in the neighborhood. The origin of solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements dates back to ages when landfills were regarded as the best method of disposing of solid waste. The causes of solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements include the generation of too much solid waste beyond the capacity of these countries to effectively manage. Due to the adverse effects of solid waste mismanagement in informal settlements, stakeholders should come together with the goodwill of achieving the best available results. The study concludes that the effects of solid waste mismanagement strategies in these areas were health hazards and crime. This study in the future implies that it provides recommendation on how to formally organize solid waste handling practices to prevent these adverse effects