An Assessment Of Municipal Solid Waste Collection Services At Community Level, In Mbeya City

ABSTRACT

This study aimed at assessing the efficiency of Municipal Solid Waste collection services (MSWCS) at community level in Mbeya City. Efficiency was specifically assessed by establishing the coverage of Municipal Solid Waste collection services, existing methods of collection and finally determine challenges associated with MSWCS. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, documentary reviews and field observations. Questionnaire survey was undertaken from 100 households in six selected wards namely Ilomba, Nzovwe, Iyela, Ilemi, Mwakibete and Luanda. All of these data were coded and analyzed through statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) as well as excel software. Findings have revealed that, MSWCS in Mbeya City is inefficient due to a number of challenges including low community environmental education and awareness, shortage of skip buckets and bays, insufficient Electrical Fiscal Devices (EFDs) for refuse collection, inadequate enforcement of laws, increasing population and socio economic activities, human and financial constraints, shortage of vehicles, and increasing waste production against collection capability. The study concludes that, despite of the highlighted challenges, still communities are in favor of the existing solid waste collection services, particularly point collection in their localities. Hence the study therefore, recommends to the Mbeya city council  to  enhance environmental education and awareness campaigns, provide more skip buckets, increase Electrical Fiscal Devices (EFDs) for collection of monthly refuse fees, increase bays, and undertake fair enforcement of environmental sanitation laws.