By transforming how waste is collected, handled, reused, or disposed of, residents will be less likely to suffer from airborne or waterborne diseases.
By Michael Akuchie
Although various parts of the world are plagued by various issues, including war, drought, and hunger, waste management is a highly underrated concern. As the world’s population grows rapidly, so does its consumption rate. This means more food is eaten, more water is drunk, and more waste is produced.
Unlike developed economies such as the US and UK where modern waste management practices have been introduced, several middle and low-income African countries still struggle with how best to handle their increasing tonnes of waste.
In 2016, the continent was said to have generated a whopping 145 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW). That figure is expected to hit 244 million tonnes by the end of 2025, signaling a great need to tackle this issue. Driven by rapid urbanisation and a population boom, many African countries struggle with containing the amount of waste it generates.
Citizens in many African countries still rely on traditional disposal methods such as dumping waste in an open area and then incinerating the trash heap after a while. While open-air incineration may seem like a cost-effective method of controlling waste, it poses several health risks to nearby residents such as bronchitis, a weakened immune system, and allergies.
Another common garbage disposal method in many African countries is to dump them at landfills. For context, a landfill, as defined by Merriam Webster is a “system of trash and garbage disposal in which the waste is buried between layers of earth to build up low-lying land”. When properly planned, a landfill can be an efficient way to deal with large volumes of waste.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a US organisation, the best landfills are sited far away from environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands and fish breeding areas. They must also be well-engineered and constantly monitored to ensure that nearby residents’ wellness is not affected by the landfill.
Unfortunately, many African countries’ landfills do not meet the above standards. An article published in the Journal of Water Process Engineering found that just a few locations in Namibia and South Africa comply with the minimum standards of waste management. Countries such as Nigeria, Tunisia, and Ghana still lag.
The article cited “complex logistics, technical limitations, and poor environmental policies” as the major obstacles to building a modernised waste management system.
Speaking of landfills, Nigeria has the largest landfill in Africa and arguably one of the biggest in the world. Located in Lagos, Nigeria, the Olusosun landfill site is said to receive around 10,000 tonnes of trash including electronic waste from smartphones, printers, and laptops daily.
Although the Olusosun site was originally sited far away from residential buildings, the state’s continued population boom has led to several houses being erected near the massive dumping site.
This places the occupants of said houses at risk of drinking contaminated water due to the liquid from the waste entering the local water supply. Air pollution is also a constant source of worry due to the toxic fumes that emanate from the waste, especially when left to rot under menacing sunrays.
In addition to residents, waste pickers are also at risk of becoming ill due to their frequent contact with toxic waste. An investigative report by FIJ revealed that numerous waste pickers at Nigeria’s Olusoson landfill site often wear limited or no personal protective equipment (PPE) and immerse themselves in the waste to salvage recyclable items, exposing themselves to toxic materials and various illnesses.
Given these factors, it is not surprising that Nigeria is among the twenty countries with the worst environmental health rankings. Other African countries in the bottom twenty include Cameroon, Lesotho, the Central African Republic, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Zambia. With nearly ten African countries in the bottom twenty, this speaks volumes about the continent’s deplorable waste management culture.
As Africa’s population grows, leaders of the continent’s countries should consider adopting smart waste management practices. By transforming how waste is collected, handled, reused, or disposed of, residents will be less likely to suffer from airborne or waterborne diseases.
One such solution that can be introduced to one of the world’s most populous nations is a smart waste bin. What separates the traditional waste bin from a smart one is that the latter has been fitted with a QR code, which when scanned, can alert the garbage disposal company whenever it is full.
A fine example of this solution in practice is found in this video where old refrigerators in Togo, West Africa, are repurposed into smart waste bins which feature a QR code that can be scanned using a smartphone.
This action prompts Vega Recycling, the local trash disposal company to visit the area and collect the waste from the bins. This method is super cost-effective as the bins themselves are made using repurposed refrigerators.
Instead of allocating billions to purchase ready-made smart bins, African governments can tap into the success of Togo’s smart bins and work with stakeholders and residents to build smart bins in public places. Aside from requiring less capital, smart waste bins can be emptied once they become full in real-time instead of being emptied using a planned schedule.
Another example of smart waste management is the use of solar-powered trash compactors. Slightly larger than regular waste bins, these trash compactors can detect when they are full and trigger a compaction mechanism. This process frees up more space for people to dump waste without having to wait for a garbage truck to come by.
This means garbage trucks will make fewer trips, thereby saving on petrol/diesel costs and emitting fewer tonnes of carbon dioxide. Solar-powered trash compactors run on solar energy, a clean and renewable energy source that is ideal for the environment. By adopting these technologies, African countries will make a huge statement in their efforts to address the longstanding issue of climate change.
Another strategy for efficiently handling Africa’s waste crisis would be to equip its existing landfills with smart capabilities. One fine example can be found in Orange County, California, USA. In Orange County, a company called OC Waste and Recycling (OCWR) now transforms organic waste dumped at landfills into compost which can be used to nourish crops instead of chemical-based fertilisers.
By composting organic waste, California’s methane gas emissions will be significantly reduced. So far, 64,000 tonnes of organic waste has been turned into compost, lowering the state’s greenhouse emissions by 12,400 metric tonnes. To ensure its smart landfill program continues a smooth run, the OCWR leverages modern technologies such as infrared imagery and drones which help monitor operations.
These and many more smart waste management solutions can help Africa in its bid to significantly reduce emissions and create a healthier environment for residents. Unfortunately, smart technologies such as the ones above require huge financial investments.
With inflation and food insecurity among the top problems plaguing many African countries, it will be difficult for them to fork out the huge sum required to purchase the technologies without seeking external support via loans.
Maintenance is also another concern. Africa is not popular for having an upstanding maintenance culture for public infrastructure. As such, smart bins and other smart garbage disposal infrastructure risk being vandalised or misused.
Additionally, issues such as infrequent power supply and a slow internet speed are two more roadblocks to the full adoption of smart waste management on the continent. Addressing these concerns would go a long way in increasing the chances of the smart technologies’ success.
Waste management in Africa is far from perfect compared to neighbouring and faraway countries. With a growing population and increased consumption rate, governments and the private sector must collaborate on possibly adopting smart solutions such as the above-mentioned ones. While these technologies require a huge investment, the overwhelming returns should be enough incentive to make the move.
Michael Akuchie is a tech journalist with four years of experience covering cybersecurity, AI, automotive trends, and startups. He reads human-angle stories in his spare time. He’s on X (fka Twitter) as @Michael_Akuchie & michael_akuchie on Instagram.
Cover photo credit: Bloomberg