N O R A L I N D S T R O MU R B A N G O V E R N A N C E A D V I S O R

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4

Waste management in Lilongwe’s poor settlements:

Preliminary findings

Background

Over the past year, LUPPEN with support from ActionAid Malawi has conducted research on waste management in Lilongwe Survey of all urban poor settlements in Lilongwe Use of score cards to evaluate waste management in Chinsapo,

Mwenyekondo, and Mchesi

Objectives: Create baseline Improved waste management in Lilongwe’s poor settlements through

evidence-based advocacy and community mobilisation

Waste management – a duty

”It shall be the duty of every local authority to take all lawful, necessary and reasonably practicable measures for maintaining its area at all times in clean and sanitary condition, and for preventing the occurrence therein of, or for remedying or causing to be remedied, any nuisance or condition liable to be injurious or dangerous to health” – Public Health Act, Article 60

An Assembly may “establish, maintain and manage services for the collection and removal and protection treatment of solid and liquid waste, and the disposal thereof whether within or without it its area and may compel the use of its services by anybody of persons to whom the services are available; “ – Decentralised Environmental Management Guidelines, Article 1.4.2.1

“Every person has a right to a clean and healthy environment and a duty to maintain and enhance the environment“ – National Environment Policy, Article 2.3a

Status of waste management in Lilongwe

Recommended ratio Lilongwe need (pop. 700,000) Current status

1 skip carrier to 30,000 persons At least 25 skip carriers 2 skip carriers

1 refuse compactor to 5,000 persons

At least 140 refuse compactors 8 refuse compactors

1 skip to 1,000 persons At least 700 skips 64 skips

1 tipper truck to 100,000 persons

At least 7 tipper trucks 1 tipper truck

1 street bin to 1,000 persons At least 700 bins 30 street bins

Source: LCC (2012) Cleansing Services Division Monthly Report for February 2012

Waste collection in urban poor settlements

79%

21%

No LCC waste collec-tionLCC waste collection

Sample: 33 settlements

Waste management in urban poor settlements

23%

26%

13%

29%

10% Burn

Bury

Compost

Dump

LCC dis-posal

Total: 70 replies

Chinsapo

Indicator1 2 3 4 5

Comments/RemarksVery bad Bad Just ok Good Very

good Score

Frequency on waste collection 9 48 0 0 0 1.84 There is no waste collection in Chinsapo

Frequency of skip carrier service 42 8 0 0 0 1.16 No skip carrier services in Chinsapo

Frequency of waste compactor service 42 8 0 0 0 1.16 No waste compactor services in Chinsapo

Number of skips 57 0 0 0 0 1.00 No skips in Chinsapo and rubbish is thrown anywhere

Waste in the market 54 6 0 0 0 1.10People throw their rubbish in the market because there is no skip at the market

Occurrence of diseases like diarrhea 54 1 4 0 0

1.15Rubbish dumped at market contaminates food items and spreads diarrhea

Availability of rubbish pits/bins 51 8 0 0 0

1.14People throw their rubbish at TOVIC and others throw their waste anywhere because they do not have

Waste at TOVIC 60 0 0 0 01.00

Due to lack of waste management services people throw their rubbish besides Chinsapo Road (TOVIC) near Chinsapo secondary school.

Occurrence of bad smell 41 11 2 0 0 1.28 Bad smell around areas where waste is dumped

Waste on road to graveyard/cemetery 51 9 0 0 0

1.15Due to lack of waste management services people throw their rubbish near Chinsapo cemetery

Total Score 1.20

Mwenyekondo

Indicator1 2 3 4 5

Comments/RemarksVery bad Bad Just okGood Very

good Score

Waste in the drainage 10 36 0 0 0

1.78

People throw their rubbish in the drainage which is below the LWB Tanks expecting water to wash it away when tanks are opened. Waste accumulates when tanks are not opened and decomposes and produces bad smell.

Waste in the market 4 10 32 0 0 2.61 Waste accumulates in the market because there is only one skip

Occurrence of Flies & mosquitoes 3 38 0 0 0

1.93

Rubbish that is not collected on time at the skip area, market and around the homes attract flies and mosquitoes breed from the same areas.

Occurrence of bad smell 6 40 0 0 0 1.87

There is bad smell in the drainage and the skip area because rubbish is not collected on time

Occurrence of diseases like diarrhea 2 35 9 0 0

2.15

Flies that are attracted by rubbish from the drainage, homes, skip area, sometimes contaminate food and causes diarrhea

Availability of Bins/Rubbish pits 37 9 0 0 0

1.20 People without bins/rubbish pits throw their waste anywhere; the waste decomposes and causes bad smell

Frequency on waste collection 4 10 32 0 0 2.61 Waste is collected at will.

Number of skips 0 9 37 0 0 2.80 Only one skip

Frequency of skip carrier services 7 30 9 0 0 2.04 Comes at will and waste accumulates at the skip

Total Score 2.11

Mchesi

Indicator 1 2 3 4 5 Score Comments/Remarks

Very bad Bad

Just ok Good

Very good

Occurrence of diseases like diarrhea and malaria 0 0 28 5 0 3.15

Flies that are attracted by rubbish sometimes contaminate food items that are sold at the market and cause diarrhea. Other places where waste is deposited become breeding areas for mosquitoes causing malaria

Occurrence of bad smell 0 0 24 4 2 3.27Rubbish that is not collected or cleaned up on time; it decomposes and causes bad smell

Availability of rubbish Pits/Bins 0 14 21 0 0 2.60

Households that do not have rubbish pits and bins throw rubbish anywhere and increase cases of diarrhea,

Occurrence of flies in the settlement 4 5 3 1 0 2.08

Rubbish is dumped and attracts flies because it is not cleaned up. The flies contaminate food

Frequency of waste collection 4 5 27 0 0 2.64

Waste is collected once per week instead of twice per week. In Mchesi Primary, Summit & Madina waste is not collected at all

Frequency of waste compactor 0 16 10 0 0 2.38

The waste compactor does not come as indicated in the LCC roaster. As such people dump or deposit their rubbish at the skips

Number of skips 4 10 24 0 0 2.53There are just two skips in Mchesi, one at the market and another at Nkhadze.

Frequency of skip carrier 1 8 24 0 0 2.70The skip does not come as indicated in the LCC Roaster and the two skips in Mchesi are overloaded with waste

TOTAL 2.67

Some findings/conclusions

Urban poor settlements are being significantly underserved by the LCC

Private waste management companies dump waste in poor settlements (e.g. Area 25)

Market waste is a particular problemComposting is an under-used but effective waste

management method Over 70% of waste is organic No separation of organic/inorganic waste in current composting

Next steps for LUPPEN/AAM

Interface meeting with duty bearers in mid-OctoberEndline survey using score cards in three target

settlementsPublication of report on waste management in LilongwePublication of survey of urban poor settlements in

LilongweContinued work with community waste committeesMobilisation of other communities on issues surrounding

waste