The performance of community based organizations in management of solid waste disposal in Ilala municipality, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

This study examined the performance of community based organizations in management of solid waste disposal in Ilala Municipality, Dar es Salaam city, Tanzania. The objectives of the study were: to identify the types of solid wastes that were generated in the study area, to measure the quantities of generated solid wastes and record the adopted solid waste management activities in the study area and to assess the performance of the private sector institutions (CBOs) in management of solid waste disposal in the study area. The objectives were addressed primarily through semi-structured interviews and discussions with stakeholders along with non-participatory tools. Fieldwork data indicated that the current solid waste generation rate in the five sampled streets stood at 406.5 tons /day. Out of the 406.5 tons of total waste generated, 178 tons/ day were removed by the Community Based Organizations and 228.5 tons/day were left uncollected. These findings suggest that the physical removal approach to solid waste management by the community based organizations has not delivered environmental sanitation since the total waste collected in the low income neighbourhoods of Ilala Municipality was less than the amount that was left standing in the study area. Physical removal of solid waste did not appear to be the right way to go about solid waste management in the low income neighbourhoods in Ilala Municipality. Instead this dissertation recommended that waste recycling and composting activities should be encouraged and enhanced as the alternative measure in attaining sustainable solid waste management in low income neighbourhoods of Ilala Municipality. Funds for investment and research for new technologies should be requested from various aid agencies in order to help CBOs to effectively work based on the new technologies.