REPORT ON WASTE

MANAGEMENTGROUP 2

FROM KUMASI CENTRAL MARKET

INTRODUCTION

• Waste management is one of the major environmental burdens particularly in megacities of many

developed and developing African countries. An alarming rate of waste generation trends can be

seen parallel to urbanization, industrialization and economic development. This environmental

burden continues to be a major pressing issue threatening the environment and health of the

people. Unless environmental measures are introduced and effectively enforced, continuing

burdens of waste management will be inevitable.

Intro cont.

• This section highlights the background and rationale of the report which is comprised of the

definition and various types of waste and their management in Kumasi central market

particularly solid waste.

• WASTE: refers to unwanted or unusable material. The types of waste usually generated are

solid wastes which includes metals, pastics textiles and waste from corn milling and individual

stores liquid waste from bathroom, urinal, drained liquid from food items and gaseous waste

from gases emitting from corn milling machines and vehicles.

Introduction cont.,

• The adverse effects on the environment due to improper waste management are well

known. These are as follows

Air pollution due to bad odour of waste.

Harmful effects of rats, flies, mosquitoes, germs and other insects.

Probability of diseases and epidemics.

Health related problems for the people working the the dumping sites.

In view of above, studies were taken up to assess the contamination status in and around the

dump sites of the market.

FIELD ACTIVITY

Our visit to Kumasi central market happened on the 30th of Jan. 2015 at about

2pm.We asked of where the waste gathered are managed and were directed by some

market women to the temporary dumping site.

Mr Baaba; the Overseer of the temporal waste management site was interviewed

and he explained to us how the Zoomlion and the KMA function in collecting and

managing the waste generated at the market site.

WASTE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

• Collection of the waste

Method of collection of the waste are through mobile collection in which head pans, wheelbarrows and

basically tricycles are used by the KMA. After the collection, the waste is temporarily stored by Zoomlion

and KMA at their temporal storage sites in large containers before they are conveyed in large trucks to

their permanent storage sites for recycling and incineration.

Depending on the amount of waste to be deposited, market women were charged 5O pesewas to 3 cedis

after which waste managers group the waste into recyclable one and non recyclable ones and are kept in

their respectable containers.

Transportation of the solid

waste• Transportation of waste is through a variety of vehicles such as three-wheelers, tractors

and trucks. The transport vehicles are loaded manually and these are used once daily.

• The transportation system does not also synchronize with the system of primary

collection and bulk waste storage facilities.

• It was observed that vehicles transporting waste are not covered with tarpaulin plastic

sheets.

Transportation cont.,

When the containers are full, they are sent to their permanent deposition site

located at Daaban Kuwait by larger vehicles. Over there, the recyclable ones

are channeled into fertilizers whiles some are used for land filling and the

rest are incinerated.

Focus of Discussion

Few market women and the waste management supervisor were interviewed

on their challenges, working conditions and how things can be made better.

Many reported that they suffer malaria and cholera due to the unhygienic

environment. Other complaints were; poor health concerns of their national

waste managing official and how they spent much on their health.

Occupational hazards

• Aims: The present study aimed to assess the occupational health problems of municipal solid waste management workers.

• Material and Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among solid waste

management workers of central market, Kumasi. Two workers were included the study. Data

were collected by direct interview. The observed morbidity like respiratory diseases, eye

diseases, dermatological problems and nail infections were elicited by general assessment. The

point prevalence of other occupational related health events present during the study time was

collected by self-reported complaints.

Occupational hazard cont.,

• Results: The mean age was 37 years. The observed morbidity like respiratory

diseases, eye diseases, dermatological problems, nail infections were high ranged

from 21% to 47%. The reported prevalence of occupation related morbidities like

falls (63.6%), accidents (22%), injuries (73.2%), and water-vector borne disease

(7.1%) were high. The current prevalence of musculoskeletal morbidities

showing that all major joints are involved (17-39%).

General observation

• It was observed that very poor community garbage collection facility is in practices all over the market

• Most of the drains beside the road were found choked due to indiscriminate dumping of garbage.

• The metal and plastic bins at the lace were dirty, overflowing and broken.

• Vultures were common in these dumping areas.

conclusion

• The work related health-problems were reported to be high as a result of poor waste

management. The prevalence of Respiratory, dermatological, eye problems and injury,

musculoskeletal problems were reported to be high among municipal solid work

handlers. Measures are needed to improve the work environment of waste handlers by

ensuring availability of protective gears based on ergonomic principles, clean drinking

water and washing and sanitation facilities during working hours as Florence

Nightingale related the health of an individual to his environment.

Recommendations

• To provide sufficient community garbage storage facilities in the market is a pre-requisite to better management of waste.

• To avoid throwing waste in the open drains to prevent drain choking.

• To asses the pollution load, monitoring facility should be developed.

• To develop sanitary landfill sites as per guidelines of the ministry of energy and health.

• To store, transport and dispose industrial waste as per guidelines.

• To spread mass awareness like “keep central market clean, “or keep your waste unmixed”.

• Workers at the working sites should always keep their foods covered, wash their hands before and after handling of waste and eating.

Group Member

• Baah Charles 7826412

• Forson Gabriella 7828012

• Nti Nanelle Griselda 7829412

• Opoku- Mensah Barbara 7830812

• Adjei Kwarteng Isaiah 7823112

• Amoah Belinda Ohenewaah 7824712

• Kuten Rita