Assessment of solid waste recycling as a means of improving environmental quality in Accra Metropolitan Area.

Abstract

Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) is unable to dispose off all the 2500 tonnes of solid waste generated daily in Accra Metropolis. AMA is also confronted with the problem of finding appropriate locations and dispose all the daily generated solid waste in Accra. Brainstorming to find solutions to the problems, AMA has identified solid waste recycling by some enterprises as one of the ways by which solid waste management could be addressed. This study therefore sought to assess solid waste recycling as a means of improving environmental quality in Accra Metropolitan Area. Survey research design was employed for the study and multi-stage sampling method was used to obtain 108 respondents and 3 keys informants who were purposively selected. Questionnaires, interview schedule and observation checklist were the instruments used to collect the data. The data were analysed using SPSS version 18, while content analysis was used for the key informant interviews. The results established that despite the benefits such as employment, production of household utensils, revenue generation and aesthetic environment that solid waste recycling provides in the study area, only 5 percent of the daily generated solid waste was recycled. It was further revealed that the low rate of recycling was due to few enterprises involved in solid waste recycling and most households not involved in this activity. It is recommended that the central and local governments implement the following measures: getting actively involved in solid waste recycling, encouraging households to participate actively through public education and motivation in order to reduce solid waste significantly in the Area Metropolitan Area.