PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTES AND ASSESSMENT OF ITS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AT HADERO TOWN, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Tremendous waste generated rapidly and creates lots of problems in developing country like Ethiopia. If these solid wastes not managed properly, these would certainly have a negative impact on sustainable living style, local environment, and human health. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess physico-chemical characterization of municipal solid wastes and assessment of its management practices. To achieve the objective, a cross-sectional descriptive survey design was used, and multi-stage sampling methods were employed. Primary data were gathered from 141 respondents through questionnaires and, interviews, field measurements and observations were also used for waste characterization. The study showed that the Hadero town generated 0.09, 0.14 and 0.16kg/capita/day based on the low, middle and higher income respectively. The average solid waste generation rate of the present study area was 0.13kg/capita/day. The study revealed that in the town the daily total solid waste generation was 5825.43kg and the annual total generation of solid waste was 2126281.95kg. The pH and EC value was 5.82, 2.42ds/m respectively in the study area. Moreover, the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, contents of the solid waste sample were 1.35%, 0.223% and 0.923%, respectively. To tackle the municipal solid waste management practice problems, sustainable solid waste management system, and the development of an appropriate solid waste management plan, awareness to the community and implement to properly manage the solid wastes was necessary