THE EFFECTS OF WASTE DISPOSAL ON DISEASE BURDEN,A CASE STUDY OF NAMATALA WARD INDUSTRIAL DIVISION, MBALE MUNICIPALITY

By

MUNYENYE CHRISTINE ES09/BSW/BUW/066

A RESEARCH REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT AS PARTIAL REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK AND SOCIAL ADMINISTRATION UGANDA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

JUNE 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 BACKGROUD OF THE STUDY 2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY RESAERCH QUESTIONS OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS OF THE STUDY VARIABLES AREA OF STUDY SCOPE OF THE STUDY

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 2.2 2.3 COMMUNICABLE DISEASES REDUCTION IN SOIL PRODUCTIVITY ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

CHAPTER THREE: MEYHODOLOGY 3.0 INTRODUCTION 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 SURVEY POPULATION SAMPLE SIZE SAMPLING METHODS DATA COLLECTION METHODS DATA PROCESSING AND ANALY

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.0 Introduction In this chapter the researcher discussed the background of the study, statement of the problem, significance of the study, objectives, research questions, operational definitions, area of study and scope of the study. 1.1 Background Of the study

Globally poor water management is increasingly becoming a problem due to this, convention was set during 1st decade (1989-1999), the convection was principally devoted to setting up a framework for controlling the trans-boundary movements of hazardous waste that is the movement of hazardous waste across international frontiers to developing countries and eastern Europe which cause a number of problems including pollution. In Uganda today, the problem of poor waste disposal has become serious and the government has banned the use of polythene bags of up to 30 microns which are not properly disposed. The researcher also observed the practices of poor waste disposal in Namatala ward such as solid wastes were spread all over the drainage systems and the place was flooded with polythene bags, water bottles, broken glass and plastics. Besides that, the researcher continued to find out that the people around the place throw polythene bags, banana peelings and paper anywhere and when the researcher asked why they were doing so, she was answered that there were no rubbish bins in place therefore leading to poor waste disposal and its related effects. The ward is composed of a mixture of tribes including internally displaced people from different parts like Karamonja, Teso. The researcher also fund out that people these people are engaged in different social-economic activities like selling charcoal, local brew and water selling which is packed in polythene bags and such activities have greatly contributed to poor waste disposal in the area where polythene bags are littered allover in

Namatala ward. Depending on the above, the researcher will be inspired to carry out a study on the effects of poor waste disposal in Namatala ward. 1.2 Problem Statement

There was poor waste disposal in the ward whereby community members were being seen littering wastes like polythene bags, broken bottles and feaces anywhere in the area and this was observed during evaluation of activities carried out in the word. The poor way of disposing wastes therefore likely led to contraction of communicable diseases, environmental pollution and reduction of soil productivity. Many people in Namatala ward had no rubbish bins and therefore poor hygiene, some were suffering from malaria, dysentery and cholera and when she tried to ask some members of the area, the researcher was told that those effects were due to poor waste disposal. Basing on the above, if such hazardous wastes are continuously spread anyhow anywhere in the place, it may cause more serious effects to people who are staying in it now and in the near future. It is because of the above problem that prompts the researcher to undertake this study. 1.3 Significance of the study The major significance of the study is to state strategies on how the community can overcome the problem of poor waste disposal and its outcomes. The results of the study will be used as a reference by future researchers who might be interested in the same field. The results shall also help the researcher as a social worker to develop skills and be able to

discover the reason behind using research knowledge, techniques and principles. It is a partial requirement for the award of degree in social work and social administration. 1.4 Main To find out the nature of waste disposal and to identify the solutions in the mitigation of such effects in Namatala ward Specific To examine the nature of waste disposal in Namatala ward To determine the effects of waste disposal on the environment in Namatala ward To lay strategies for improving waste disposal in Namatala ward 1.5 Research questions Objectives of the study

What is the nature of waste disposal in Namatala Ward? What is the effect of waste disposal on the environment in Namatala Ward? What strategies can be put in place for improving waste disposal in Namatala Ward? 1.6 Operational definitions of study variables

Communicable diseases in the text are applied to mean the kind of diseases that come as a result of poor waste disposal for example human excrete as a waste. Reduction of soil productivity is used to refer to how poorly disposed waste like polythene bags, broken glasses, old plastics and shoes that are littered allover the ground can cause an effect on soil productivity in the area.

Environmental pollution is used in the study to refer to the way wastes spread allover the place can cause unpleasant smell and also contaminate the water that is being used by the people in the area. 1.7 Area of study The research study was conducted in industrial division council which is one of the divisions of Mbale municipality. Industrial division is sub divided into four wards which are; south central, Masabe, Malukhu and Namatala wards respectively. Namatala as a researchers area of interest has got six cells namely; Somero, Sisye, Nyanza, Wandawa,Doko and Muvule respectively. 1.8 Scope of the study The study is designed to examine the effects of poor waste disposal in Namatala ward of industrial division, Mbale municipality. 1.9 The conceptual frame work Intervening variable Dependent variable (Effects) Uganda health policy The environmental policy NEMA policy Communicable diseases Environmental pollution Reduction in soil productivity

Independent variable (Problems) Waste disposal

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.0 Introduction

In this chapter, the researcher reviewed existing literature on the nature, effects and strategies of waste disposal in Namatala ward. 2.1 Nature of Waste Disposal According to the daily monitor (May 23rd 2012) reports that most of the smartly dressed people in Kampala drive out of their posh homes in their posh cars and dispose off their household garbage by some road side or deserted areas and that to tally it out you would think that this tendency is common among respected members of society. Of course they know it is wrong which is the reason why they wait for the cloak of the darkness to do it. It further noted that sometimes they pay a small fee to some jobless chap in the neighborhood to do the legal dumping on their behalf with the full knowledge that in a radius of so many kilometers there is no dumping site. And as expected the chap, sometimes high on a narcotic, dumps this rubbish on some elses gate. So, to your horror, you wake and find a heap foul-smelling rubbish teeming with flies a few metres from your gate. Briney (2010) states that, there are a number of different ways in which cities dispose of their waste. The first and most well-known however, are dumps. These are open holes in the ground where trash is disposed of and has little environmental regulations. More commonly used today to protect the environment however, are landfills. These are areas that are specially created so waste can be put into the ground with little or no harm to the natural environment through pollution. She further notes that, today, landfills are engineered to protect the environment and prevent pollutants from entering the soil and possibly polluting ground water in one of two ways. The first of these is with the use of a clay liner to block pollutants from leaving the landfill. These are called sanitary landfills while the second type is called a municipal solid waste landfill. These types of landfills use synthetic liners like plastic to separate the landfill's trash from the land below it.

Once trash is put into these landfills, it is compacted until the areas is full, at which time the trash is buried. This is done to prevent the trash from contacting the environment but also to keep it dry and out of contact with air so it will not quickly decompose. About 55% of the waste generated in the United States goes to landfills while around 90% of waste created in the United Kingdom is disposed in this manner.

In addition to landfills, she says that waste can also be disposed using waste combustors. This involves the burning of municipal waste at extremely high temperatures to reduce waste volume, control bacteria, and sometimes generate electricity. Air pollution from the combustion is sometimes a concern with this type of waste disposal but governments have regulations to reduce pollution. Scrubbers (devices that spray liquids on smoke to reduce pollution) and filters (screens to remove ash and pollutant particles) are commonly used today.

Finally, transfer stations are the third type of municipal waste disposal currently in use. These are facilities that where municipal waste is unloaded and sorted to remove recyclables and hazardous materials. The remaining waste is then reloaded onto trucks and taken to landfills while the waste that can be recycled for example, is sent to recycling centers.

This is true in Namatala where by the municipality have gazzeted areas for dumping garbage in the area so that the trucks can easily collect it to the last processing field. However, in Namatala there are no landfills where wastes can be processed.

Ketterman (2011) notes that most waste travels by truck to land disposal units. Depending on the material, these wastes might end up compacted and covered with soil in landfills, incinerated, stored in surface impoundments or injected into underground containment wells.

According to the EPA, most non-hazardous household waste is eventually compacted and covered or incinerated. Carefully selected geographical sites away from environmentally sensitive locations and the use of membranous liners and sophisticated monitoring systems help prevent harmful contaminants from escaping into the environment. The federal government regulates the location, design and operating procedures for modern landfills. 2.2.0 The effects of waste disposal on the environment Here the researcher reviewed some literature on the most felt effects of waste disposal on the environment such as communicable diseases, reduction of soil productivity and environmental pollution. 2.2.1 Communicable diseases Curtis and Feachem R.G (1981) argue that fly-breeding will always be encouraged by uncovered pits of rotting waste and flies may play a rate in the mechanical transmission of feaces and thus faucal-oral diseases. They go further to explain that pits of refuse will also contain mosquito breeding sites where pads of rain water form in cons, car tyres and mosquitoes aedes aegypti will breed under such conditions and may transmit dengue, yellow fever and other arbovival infections. The rate will also breed and live in and around the refuse thus transmitting a variety of diseases including plague, flea-borne typhus and rat-bit fever. I agree with this because poorly disposed waste can become a breeding place for many rodents and mosquitoes which cause communicable diseases to human beings. Sandy Caircross and Richard G feachem(1983) states that poor refuse disposal will encourage fly-breeding and may thus promote the transmission of faucal-oral infections and rats which transmit plaque, rat-bite, fever and endemic typus. Health hazards of human environment (1972), argues that insanitary collection on areas gur flies, mosquitoes, rodents and other vectors of diseases. The final report (2000,15th October) on the solid waste management strategy and operational plan for Mpigi district, stated that solid wastes contaminated with faucal matter

might contain virus, bacteria and protozoa thus causing human excreta related diseases like cholera, dysentery and typhoid (WHO 1990). The report further explains wastes were not properly disposed off, the site act as breeding places for vectors like flies and mosquitoes which transmit diseases like malaria. the resource manual for training health committee and community health workers (1991) concurs with the above report that human wastes like feaces can be very harmful materials because just a tiny amount of excreta entering into the stomach and cause diseases such as diarrhea and warms. 2.2.2 Reduction of soil productivity The final report of solid waste management in Mpigi (2000 15th October) argues that dumping solid wastes in wetlands rises the ground water tables, destroying micro climate of the area and leads to destruction of the bio-diversity of the wetland (NEMA 1996). Dumping of polythene bags on land automatically destroys it in that it reduces the infiltration capacity of rain water in the soil. the same reporter said that high level of metal contamination originating from the disposal of leachate from metalliferals wastes on hand can lead to areas getting completely devoid of vegetation leachate from landfills are released on soil, they increase PH conductivity and ESP of the soil which leads to soil becoming subsequently lead to the disappearance of micro nutrients from soil and physical conditions of soil also get destroyed. the health hazards of the human environment (1972) conquers with the above report that unsanitary collection and disposal of solid wastes has adverse effects on land values, constitutes a public nuance and thus contributing to deterioration of the environment. I agree with the above because if wastes like polythene bags are poorly disposed in the land there will be no water filtration into the soil as the water will remain stagnant on the polythene bags. 2.2.3 Environmental pollution The final report (2000 15th October) on the solid waste management strategy and

operational plan for Mpigi district, states that waste when disposed off on land surface or under land fields may leak or leach into underground water or contaminate or pollute surface water. This may cause substantial health risks to communities which utilize the water for drinking and other domestic things. Curtis C.F and Feachem R.G (1981) in their study on sanitation and culex pipen mosquitoes argue that badly managed refuse can promote water pollution by rain washing surface water. Ground water pollution may also occur. In their study focus on health, Date B.Hahan and Wayne A (1972) argue that industrial processes, domestic heating, refuse burning and the use of pesticides and herbicides also contribute to air pollution. The health hazard of human environment (1972) states that the insanitary collection and disposal of solid wastes create health hazards for example it may contribute to water pollution. the water wastes and health and climate (1977) contributes that when refuse is burnt in open, a pall of dense black smoke often covers the site and neighbours land so that its position from miles around, old fashioned incinerators without air-cleaning equipment can be a little further a field and be seen from greater distances. This automatically leads to pollution because it will limit human beings from inhaling the proper air from the atmosphere. 2.3 Strategies for reducing the effects of waste disposal According to the Daily Monitor (May 23rd 2012), Dr. Tumesiime suggested that you can reduce the volume of your garbage by sorting the organic from the inorganic garbage. Organic waste comprises of anything that can rot like leftover food, food peels from Matooke, and sweet potatoes. Dr. Tumesiime further adds that most homes have a small garden, so you can compose

this organic waste and use it in your garden as a way of cutting down on your garbage volume and the subsequent cost. Boiling drinking water is a bother for most people that can afford bottled drinking water, but these bottles greatly increase your garbage volume. However, a number of companies that recycle polythene bags and plastic bottles have come up. But youre probably not looking at this amount of money shs 600800 for a kilo of kaveera. In fact it might take you a very long time to accumulate this volume. Dr.Tumesiime however, suggests that communities can come up with an initiative, a central place for collecting these items and selling them to clean paper Uganda (UPU) limited located in kyambogo is one such company that buys used papers and plastic bottles from communities. We buy them, compact them and bale them before selling them to recycling companies here in Uganda or in Kenya Noorall Mangayi, the owner says. Briney (2010) suggests that on top of the proper disposal of municipal waste, some cities promote programs to reduce overall waste. The first and most widely used program is recycling through the collection and sorting of materials that can be remanufactured as new products. Transfer stations aid in sorting recyclable materials but city recycling programs sometimes work to ensure that its residents separate their own recyclable materials from the rest of their trash. She further notes that composting is another way cities can promote municipal waste reduction. This type of waste is comprised solely of biodegradable organic waste like food scraps and yard trimmings. Composting is generally done on the individual level and involves the combination of organic waste with microorganisms like bacteria and fungi that break down the waste and create compost. This can then be recycled and used as a natural and chemical free fertilizer for personal plants.

Along with recycling programs and composting, municipal waste can be reduced via source reduction. This involves the reduction of waste through the alteration of

manufacturing practices to reduce the creation excess materials which get turned into waste. To further reduce waste, she says that some cities are currently promoting policies of zero waste. Zero waste itself means reduced waste generation and the 100% diversion of the remainder of waste from landfills to productive uses via materials reuse, recycling, repair and composting. Zero waste products should also have minimal negative environmental impacts over their lifecycles. All these strategies apply in Namatala because many companies have come up to buy off wastes of plastics and metals for recycling and reusing in order to reduce on volume of garbage in the area. There are also policies on waste disposal such as national environmental management authority polices which deals with management of waste disposal in society.

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

3.0

Introduction This chapter included the research methods that were applied when carrying out the study and these include; survey population, sample size, sampling methods, data collection methods and data processing and analysis, these are seen below;

3.1

Survey population Basing on the district population and housing census of 2002, the population of Namatala ward was 11,844 where 5,997 were males, 5,867 were females. Therefore, the respondents were sampled from the total population as illustrated in the table below; Table 1: showing the population of Namatala ward Name of ward Namatala ward Male 5,997 Female 5,867 Total 11,844

Sources: 2002 population census 3.2 Sample size According to the total population of the ward, it was so big for the researcher to reach to all the people so the researcher used 60 respondents to represent the whole population with the aim of getting adequate information on the topic, the researcher also found out that other members of the community were children and could not give the relevant information that was required per the topic of study. 3.3 Sampling methods The researcher used purposive method to select the health workers and local leaders in the area. This method is used because it gives reliable information to the researcher and it is convenient and it also saves time and resources. The researcher also employed accidental method to some community members to include them in the sample. This method was used because it saves time and resources for the

researcher. 3.4 Data collection The researcher used three methods in collecting data necessary for research and these include; Observation; this was used whenever the researcher went to the field for research purposes where she observed the way wastes were spread allover the place and unpleasant smell was being produced as a result. The aim of this was totally what the researcher observed with the responses from the respondents during interviews to see whether there are likely effects of poor waste disposal. Interview method; here questions were used by the researcher to the respondents and the purpose of using this method was that it was easy to use, saves time and less costly. Structured questionnaire method; these were administered to the elites only like the health personnel, ward leaders where questions were sent to respective respondents by the researcher and she was assisted by the local leaders. This method was therefore be used because it gives direct answers to the questions asked in the questionnaire. 3.5 Data processing and analysis The data collected was later transformed into finished and meaningful form and these include; Editing; this was done right from the time of data collection whereby unnecessary information given by respondents was left out and correct spelling errors before the final consumptions. Coding; this was done after data collection, this involved grouping of similar various

responses from different respondents according to their responses. Tabulation; the data was then be put in table form from figures and percentages. This was done for proper understanding and interpretation.

Reference: Curtis C.F and Feachem R.G (1981: 17-28-84) sanitation and culex pipen mosquitoes, a brief

journey of tropical medicine and hygiene Dale B Hahan Wayne and A Payne (1092), focus on health 4th edition Feachem R.G and Caircross Sandy (1983: 175) environmental engineering in the tropics Health hazards of human environment (1972) Final report on solid waste management strategy and operation plan from Mpigi district (15th October 2000: p5:6) Resource manual for training health committees and community health workers, Uganda community based health care association (1999:9) Water waste and health in hot climate, edited by Feachem R.G, Michael M and Duncan (1977)

Amanda Briney (2010), An Overview of Municipal Waste and Landfills: How Cities Deal with Garbage, Recycling, Landfills, and Dumps available on http://geography.about.com/od/globalproblemsandissues/a/municipalwastelandfills.htm Ketterman (2010), How is Waste Disposed available on http://www.livestrong.com/article/188650how-is-waste-disposed/#ixzz1xEdOSYuZ