Solid Waste Management Practice and Factors Influencing its Effectiveness: The Case of Selected Private Waste Collecting Companies in Addis Ababa

Abstract

Solid waste, which is a consequence of day -to- day activity of human kinds, needs to be managed properly. Addis Ababa faces problems associated with a poorly managed solid waste system. A rational behind for the study was the poor status of solid waste management in Addis Ababa and this created the need to study the current solid waste management practice and factors influencing its effectiveness: the case of private companies in Addis Ababa. Solid waste management practice effectiveness was described in collection, disposal and transportation while factors influencing solid waste management practice effectiveness were described in financial, technical, institutional, social and political aspects. This employed mixed research approach. Collected data has been analyzed by descriptive and correlation statistical tools and the data collection instruments were questionnaires, interviews, observations, and secondary sources. A survey was conducted in three selected private solid waste managing companies and the survey questionnaire data was collected from 108 respondents and interview was conducted for three key informants from solid waste management agencies. Different sampling methods like purposive sampling, stratified sampling, and simple random sampling were employed to select the study units. The validity of research instruments was established by consulting the supervisor. The researcher employed the test and retest method to establish the reliability of the research instruments .The researcher used statistical packages for Social Science department to analyze the data. The study found out that the current waste service delivering practice is ineffective due to the financial constraints, technical problems, social influences and institutional aspect problems as major influencing factors. However, the political influence was moderate. Indeed, these influencing factors possessed association with solid waste management (collection, transportation, and disposal) separately except between political and disposal. This indicates that the higher the influences, the lower the effectiveness of solid waste management practices. Based on the findings of this study , it is recommended strict enforcement of -by law and policy, more budget allocation ,technical support by the government, development of solid waste management through waste reduction, reuse,.