Resource Prospects of Municipal Solid Wastes Generatedin the Ga East Municipal Assembly of Ghana

Abstract

Background.Municipal solid wastes management has recently become an important public health concern. Municipal solid wastes are a major source of raw materials that could be used for resource recovery for diverse applications.Objectives.The present study aimed to determine the composition of municipal solid waste and recoverable resources from the waste of the Ga East Municipal Assembly (GEMA) in the Greater Accra region of Ghana.Methods.An exploratory approach was used to collect pertinent data from the Abloradgei dumpsite in GEMA using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussion. A field characterization study was undertaken to segregate and estimate the value of various components of collected waste. Dumpsite workers were asked about current general composition of MSW, mode of collection and disposal, record of sanitation-related diseases, use of modern treatment plant, waste management legislation and enforcement challenges, number of trucks received by the dumpsite per day, record on pretreatment of MSW before disposal, and use of personnel protective equipment.Results.The results showed that significant proportions (48.8%) of the municipal solid wastes were organic materials, while the remaining (51.2%) were inorganic materials. The results also showed that 63% of the municipal solid waste is collected with no sorting from the source and no modern treatment applied before dumping. It was estimated that the value of the recyclable materials in GEMA municipal solid waste amounts to Ghana Cedis (GH¢) 9,381,960 (plastic); 985,111 (mixed glass); 5,160,078 (paper) and 11,586,770 (metal) with a total of GH¢ 27,113,919 ($10,845,568) equivalent to 2,106,339.2 m3 (74,384,667.5 ft3) per annum of biogas from these components with a market value of GH¢ 1,997,972.17 ($768, 393.62); 11,579 Mwh (1.32 Mw) of electricity and 9,535 Mwh (1.09 Mw) of heat. This is estimated to be lost with the current waste management practices.Conclusions.We recommend that GEMA institute sustainable recycling practices and utilization of biogas production technologies and prioritize sanitation and waste management education for the public, obligate home segregation of waste materials, involve workers by providing them with protective clothing, incorporate informal waste collectors and scavengers into the new system and collaborate with research institutions in waste-to-resource projects to ensure a more sustainable waste management system in the municipality.Participant Consent:Obtained

Bibliographic mapping of post-consumer plastic waste based on hierarchical circular principles across the system perspective

“…The most common strategy at the regional level is recycling (R8) featuring various topics. These include Three different collection schemes which affect quantity and quality of recycling in England [ 87 ]; Exploratory study of Abloradgei dumpsite in Ghana [ 1 ]; Collection process of recyclable materials between 2004 and 2011 in 103 Italian provinces [ 3 ]; and Lower Austrian waste management system involving the introduction of a 'catch-all-plastics-bin' [ 116 ].…”

Assessment of Hepatorenal Function of Nigerian Solid Waste Scavengers in Osogbo, Nigeria

“…Through solid waste scavenging, the demand for waste evacuation in several communities is partly met. This widespread practice has also been recognized to meet the economic needs of those involved in this occupation [1][2]. In many developing countries, solid waste scavengers can be found on the streets or in open dumps or landfill areas [3].…”

Perceptions of workers on the benefits of institutional source sorting: A case of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - Institute of Industrial Research (CSIR-IIR), Accra, Ghana

“…However, research shows that, there is a general willingness amongst residents of the Cape Coast municipal assembly to source segregate generated wastes if the required education and dustbins were made available (Gyimah et al, 2021). Furthermore, households of unplanned residential areas in the Tamale (Abagale et al, 2012) and the Ga East municipal assemblies, (Abiti et al, 2017), informally source sorted 30.3% and 37.0% respectively, of generated wastes, which will improve with the formalisation and provision of logistics. Even though the sorting of solid wastes at source is on a small scale, there is the indication that support from government policies will spearhead a shift in developmental strategies to enhance the collection method.…”