The effect of leachate from solid waste disposal sites on the Cape Coast municipal environment

Abstract

As a developing country, Ghana is faced with the problem of management of her solid waste. Disposal of solid waste in open dumps and swampy areas in a bid to reclaim the land is the most common method used. This research was carried out at the Cape Coast Municipality to investigate the effect of disposed solid waste on the environment. The methodologies are purposive sampling for the solid waste evaluation, titrimetric and spectrophotometric for the analysis of the leachate from the solid waste. The refuse evaluation showed that about 1420 tonnes/month of solid waste is generated in the Cape Coast Municipality and out of this, about 976.25 tonnes/month is effectively being collected. The composition evaluation of the waste also gave screening < 20mm 26%, vegetable putrescible - 59"10, paper - 3%, wood - 4%, plastics - 2%, metal - 1%, glass and others - 3%. Then also, the leachate analysis gave pH - (6.8 - 10.5), temperature ( 19.9 - 29)OC, conductivity - (10,000 - 199,900)J..Lslcm, total iron - (1.2 - 720) ppm, sulphate - (13 - 21,600) ppm, phosphate - (2 - 1,423) ppm, dissolved organic matter ( 65.0 - 3,655) ppm, nitrite - (0.7 - 97.3) ppm, nitrate - (20 - 736) ppm, ammonium _ (13 - 1,140) ppm, chloride - (6.0 - 1,520) ppm and the bacterial count was uncountable. The analysis showed that about 72.0% of the total refuse generated in the Municipality is effectively being collected and the remaining 28% find their way into gutters, ravines and water bodies. Then also, apart from chloride and pH, all the other parameters determined for the leachate analysis had concentration levels higher than internationally accepted levels fur solid waste disposal. With this, there is therefore the need for effective solid waste management in the Municipality to avert any epidemic.