Zubeir, Khamis Ismail2020-04-262020-04-262013Zubeir, K. I (2013) Environmental impacts of urban domestic solid waste handling and disposal: a case study of urban west of Zanzibar, Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam.http://41.86.178.5:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/10250Available in printed form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAFTD619.Z36I75)The study analysed the environmental impacts of urban domestic solid waste handling and disposal in the Urban West of Zanzibar. One hundred and thirty-eight households participated by answering a pretested questionnaire, which was complemented with field observations, interviews, and secondary data sources such as maps and official documents. The relationship between variables in the data were analysed by using correlation coefficient provided in the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v.17). Also Microsoft Excel software was used. The qualitative data were analysed by cross tabulation and narrations. The results were further synthesized into simple tables, charts and graphs using Microsoft excel software. Based on the research findings, the existing solid waste handling and disposal is poor. Poor solid waste handling and disposal has led to a number of environmental problems such as water, land and air pollution. Sorting of solid waste at household level, recovery of reusable solid waste materials and sanitary landfills was an optional way to improve urban domestic solid waste handling and disposal. The study concluded that even though domestic solid waste services are conducted, the service is considered to be poor because of such factors as inadequate facilities for storage, collection and transportation of solid wastes, illegal dumping of solid waste and insignificant participation of the community in waste management. All these lead to environmental problems through pollution of air, land and water. The study makes a number of recommendations ranging from the increase of community participation, increase of the number of trucks and collection coverage, encouraging the residents to use appropriate storage containers, and finally support and guiding the initiation of solid waste reduction programs.enRefues and refuse disposalZanzibarUrban westThesis