Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices for Achieving Green Architecture Concepts in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

Solid waste is one of the social and environmental challenges that urban areas are facing. The study assesses the state of solid waste in Addis Ababa during 2016–2020 to provide implications for achieving green architecture concepts through better management of solid waste and its economic contribution. The study uses secondary and primary data. Quantitative and qualitative data are analyzed through descriptive statistics and context analysis, respectively. The result reveals that most solid waste is generated from households, followed by commercial centers, street sweeping, industries/factories, hotels, and hospitals, respectively. From 2016 to 2020, an average of 80.28% of solid waste is collected, whereas 19.72% of the waste is not collected. There are little or no efforts made to segregate solid waste at the source. The generated waste is disposed of in the Reppi open landfill. Together with Ethiopian electric power (EEP) and the City Government of Addis Ababa, waste has been converted to energy since 2019. The study suggests minimizing waste from its source by reducing generation, composting, reusing, recycling, waste-to-energy strategy, and well-designed buildings to achieve the concept of green architecture in Addis Ababa through better solid waste management.

The Practices of Solid Waste Utility and Thriving Conditions of Logistics (a Case of Tepi Town): A Study to Treat the Healthy Environment

“…In cities and towns of developing countries, solid waste management deficiencies were visible in many areas with little or no attention in those urban centers at all [ 8 ]. 30–50% of the generated urban center solid wastes of developing cities were thrown away on streets and open spaces causing serious health problems [ 9 ]. This is due to the lack of sufficient solid waste collection services [ 10 ].…”

Municipal Solid Waste Management Policies, Practices, and Challenges in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review

“…Additionally, a recent study in Addis Ababa showed that uncollected solid waste is disposed of the spaces, ditches, and rivers [9]. In Ethiopia, solid waste collection coverage is much higher in capital cities than in small towns, where a collection system is sometimes non-existent.…”

“…These challenges may range from generating a large amount of waste to an inappropriate waste disposal system. According to a recent study conducted by Gelan [9] in Addis Ababa, the challenges include a lesser emphasis on MSWM by the government, the scarcity of land to perform different activities concerning solid waste management, particularly for temporary storage and disposal sites, financial scarcity, the lack of solid waste collection and transportation infrastructure, and the lack of skilled human resources. In addition, Teshome [12] stated that the MSWM systems in Ethiopia are irregular in collection and transportation, inadequate at waste prevention and collection coverage, inefficient from technical aspects, weak at the enforcement level of solid waste management policy and legal frameworks, and sometimes the presence of political interference in solid waste management.…”

“…On the other hand, the Ethiopian government has previously adopted MSWM policies and legal frameworks to reduce and eradicate the environmental and human health impacts caused by improper waste management practices [8]. In Ethiopia, MSWM is a major issue owing to its fast-growing economy, expansion of urbanization, and industrial development in its major cities [9]. Hence, the MSWM problem in Ethiopia is a critical issue affecting the environment, human health, and economic activities [10], and it is especially affecting the quality of life of the local communities.…”

“…Hence, the MSWM problem in Ethiopia is a critical issue affecting the environment, human health, and economic activities [10], and it is especially affecting the quality of life of the local communities. In addition, some studies have indicated that the low performance of MSWM in Ethiopian cities and the environmental and public health problems due to the high rate of uncollected solid waste is continued at high speed in major cities in the country [9]. As a result, the MSWM problem is getting worse and is one of the serious cross-cutting issues of Ethiopia.…”