INTRODUCTION

As part of the Dakahleya Governorate Environmental Action Plan, extensive consultation showed that the community ranked solid waste management as the highest environmental priority requiring attention. In addition, mobilising community resources and encouraging community-based actions is considered to be an integral part of the Action Plan for improving environmental conditions.

A community based action to address a local solid waste problem was proposed by the Society for the Development of the Community of Gedelah. This Society is an active Community Development Association (CDA) that indicated the community?s willingness to contribute to the costs of sustaining an improved solid waste service.

Gedelah is a village of around 50,000 people in the East District of Mansoura. Support was provided by SEAM to establish a community based solid waste collection service in a lower income area, initially covering around 1,600 households.

PROBLEMS WITH PREVIOUS WASTE COLLECTION SYSTEM

A social survey undertaken in the area indicated that 78% of residents were dissatisfied with the previous waste collection service and 59% considered their streets dirty. Problems cited were waste accumulation in the streets, infrequent collection service and lack of street sweeping.

The high loading height of the box trailers required workers to lift waste above their heads into the container. As a result they struggled with heavy loads and in addition, waste frequently spilled back over the workers, which posed a health risk. These issues were addressed in designing new equipment.

Introducing A Community Based Waste Collection Service

From the outset community views were solicited on how to improve the waste collection system. A social survey was undertaken of 349 randomly selected establishments, of which 291 were households and 58 were non-households (shops, workshops, street vendors and clinics). Twelve volunteers from the CDA, who were given some training on interview techniques prior to commencement, undertook the survey. 

Of the respondents, 30% were male and 70% female. Monthly household incomes were generally less than LE500 with 35% below LE250. Average household size was 5.

Some key findings were:

• 6% previously received a door-to-door collection service.
• 36% preferred waste to be collected in plastic bags.
• 23% preferred waste collection between 8.00-10.00am; 31% favoured 4.00-6.00pm.
•  88% were willing to pay for an improved service.
• 70% preferred a monthly charge of less than LE2.50; average for all was LE2.25.
• 21% dumped waste on vacant land.

NEXT
BACK