An assessment of solid waste management system in the Kumasi Metropolis

Abstract

Waste products arise from our ways of life and it is generated at every stage of the process of production and development. It spans all stages of human activities, from manufacturing to consumption. The purposes of this thesis were to identify the solid waste management practices in KMA. This research is exploratory research. A sample size of 200 was used out of a total population of the study was 350. Questionnaire was the main data collection instrument used for the study. Quantitative data analysis technique (such as mean, percentages, frequencies and standard deviation) and qualitative data analysis technique (such as content analysis) were used to analyze the collected data. It was found out that all the seven solid waste management practices identified and tested, only two; waste generation practices, and transfer and transport practices were moderately done well. This means that the rest: onsite handling, collection, sorting, disposal, and energy generation practices are not been done appropriately. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that, the management of KMA should adopt appropriate waste management practices such as conversion of waste into energy