Managing solid waste in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is the largest as well as the dominant political, economic, cultural and historical city of the country. It is located at the heart of the country. Based on the 1994 census, it is estimated that the population of the city in 1999 would be 2,545,846. Solid waste is an element of environmental pollution, which, in turn, is the contamination of air, water and soil by materials that interfere with human health, the quality of life and nature. From this perspective the enormous solid waste littering our city is one of the major areas of apprehension. Indeed it is one of the major public nuisances and the causes of morbidity in the city. For instance the report of Region 14 Health Bureau, compiled from the data obtained from 15 health centres for 1991, indicated that two of the leading top-ten causes of morbidity in the city were acute upper respiratory diseases and infections of skin and subcutaneous tissues. These accounting for one-third of the total outpatients. This demonstrates the effect of environmental sanitation on the health of residents. Although this is appreciated by Region 14 Administration, practical solution seem still wanting for progress in this area is rather sluggish. There is an enormous task both for researchers and practitioners to tackle the problem.