Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Efficiency Index: Development and Application in Kuito, Capital of Bié Province, Republic of Angola

Abstract

The management of municipal solid waste (MSW) on the African continent has faced challenges, due to the urbanization process, population and economic growth, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. In this context, the development of methodological approaches to assess the MSW management system assumes importance for the elaboration of policy guidelines. The objective of the present work was to develop and apply an index to evaluate the efficiency of the landfill, based on landscape analysis, in Kuito, capital of the Province of Bié, in Angola. The methodology included field visits, survey of the physical structures and operational conditions of the municipal landfill. These surveys made it possible to calculate a landfill efficiency index (IEA), based on landscape analysis, integrating elements from the physical, biotic and anthropic dimensions. The structural and operational conditions of the landfill indicated environmental, social and human health risks, as it was an open-air dump. Such conditions led to the closure of the landfill by the provincial authorities, based on the results indicated by the IEA.