Implementing a Waste Collection System
Waste management is not a problem solely faced by Zanzibar, Tanzania. Many developing countries do not have a system in place to manage their waste disposal and we must recognize that the United States needs significant improvements to our waste production issues as well. However, along with educating the community on the problem, an integrated waste management system in Zanzibar will reduce the trash polluting markets, streets, and beaches and limit the environmental damages imposed from burning trash. The implementation of such a plan must have a seamless transition into the community and across the various stages, from generation to collection, treatment, and reuse. The reusability entity is touched on in the third part of our solution strategy. Overall, our solution aims to resolve these challenges in a holistic manner.
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Activities involved in the system include the collection of waste, sorting and segregation, treatment or recycling and safe disposal of waste. Various developing countries have companies or technologies involved to connect different stakeholders along the value chain such as GoRecycler in Kenya. GPS technology, mobile-phone-enabled tracking of waste, and kiosks to collect and compress waste could be solutions explored by experts in the community to evaluate whether these could be viable details. Another solution may reside in a single end-to-end service entity through public and private partnerships.
The business operation must address the challenges involved with
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Informality of the value chain
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Unorganized interaction between government agencies or other business that would potentially provide services
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Inadequate policies facilitating proper waste removal and collection
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High costs of managing waste
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Difficulty operating a sustainable waste management system independently on an island
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Motivating a work force to join the waste management operation
Considering the Development Model
Our greatest chance of success in the implementation of a waste management system ultimately requires the Ferguson approach of listening to the locals on the ground in Zanzibar. These locals, are the ultimate experts in understanding the community needs, benefits, and the details necessary to implement a sustainable business operation. Based on communication with the contact in Zanzibar, Sarah Levett, has answered a few questions to support the continuation of the solution strategy. These questions and community analysis with the insights from experts in Zanzibar must continue if we wish to have a tangible, sustainable solution.
Waste Management Workers: The Driving Force in Sustainable Success
There are locals on Zanzibar Island who are already aiming to clean up the streets. There are also locals who collect the plastics to reconstruct into products to sell in the local markets. Finally, USAID reported in October, 2018 that there are 800,000 youth who enter the workforce in Tanzania where there are only 100,000 available jobs. To combat unemployment, youth are taking entrepreneurial routes to earn an income. Although this isn't data on Zanzibar alone, further research can see if the imbalance of labor supply and demand extends to the island. If so, the integrated waste management system will require a large labor pool to maintain the collection, separation, and disposal of trash along the value chain. Youth and others in the community looking for jobs can be put to work, thus boosting the overall economy.
The locals who already are experienced in trash collection and recycling can be empowered through management roles and integral leaders in building a sustainable business operation in their local community. They have an invested care in the plans success because they are already working towards the same goals on an individual level. Guided by their insight, employing these workers to manage the waste collection system aligns with our development model for this solution.
This is a model from https://www.innovationpolicyplatform.org/system/files/4%20Integrated%20Waste%20Manangement_Apr6.pdf
outlining the steps for an integrated waste management system.
Step 1: Add Points for Waste Disposal
Waste disposal areas must be placed at integral spots around the community such that the people find it convenient to dispose their waste here versus burning it in their yards or dumping it in the streets. These waste bins must be surrounding the city markets as these are the places that generate the most waste. Waste stations can be established by local NGOs, the municipal government, or the educational bodies in the area. At these stations, people are segregating their waste into trash, recycle, and compost bins, thus the people are learning how to sort their waste and where it goes.
To further motivate people to dispose their waste here, strategies should be explored to supply an economic benefit to those who turn in their recyclables or actively compost. Options may be financial compensation, discounts on recycled goods, or soil from composting for users to fertilize gardens at home.
