Quantification Of Solid Pollutants Along The Highway Through Mikumi National Park

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out in Mikumi National Park (MINAPA) to quantify the amount of solid pollutants along the highway through MINAPA. The study adopted longitudinal research design where ten sampling points labeled A to J were established from the western part (Mikumi town) of the highway to the eastern part (Doma village). Waste products were collected, sorted and measured in a daily basis at these sampling points for three weeks. The findings of this study reveals that plastic materials are decreasing as you enter the park from either direction of the highway, tyres and tubes as well as metal wastes are found to be roughly equally distributed throughout the park regardless of the direction of the entrance although the large amount being obtained around the road humps. In addition, the first weeks of data collection, the amount of plastic materials were relatively higher dropping each week to the very low in the third week. The total amount of waste products deposited deliberately or accidentally in the park may have negative impacts to the park ecosystem health which, in some cases may endanger the health of wildlife inhabiting in this valuable ecosystem. Therefore, Tanzania government under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) should adopt effective mitigation measures upon this emerging challenge, and TANAPA should be strictly responsible to ensure these mitigation measures are fully implemented. In addition to that, conservation education should be included in Tanzania education curriculum so that, children may grow with the conservation mentality.