Public participation and solid waste management; challenges and prospects :

Abstract

Solid waste disposal and management is both an urban and rural problem and every person is a potential generator of waste, consequently, a contributor to this problem. To generate waste is one thing, the type of waste generated is another and also the way the generated waste is managed or. disposed of is quite a different issue. This study was carried out in Kamuli Town Council in Kamuli District in eastern Uganda. The main objective of this study was to sight see the level of public participation in. solid waste management in Kamuli Town Council, in light of the challenges and prospects for future management. The study used a combination of both quantitative. and qualitative methodologies in research. It therefore draws on the cross-sectional study design as explained by Bryman (2004) and also on aspects of a phenomenological research design as discussed by Blanche et al., (2006). The findings revealed that the majority proportion of the public in Kamuli Town Council exhibited concern and an amount of sensitivity about solid waste though sorting of solid Waste is less adopted. The level of item reuse is equally tow in Kamuli Town Council and the people still think that they cannot do anything to reduce the volume of solid waste they generate. There are challenges of limited resources to manage the solid waste and illegal dumping in Kamuli Town Council. However, there are plans for formal disposal facilities, use of the legal instrument and awareness-raising as a way to deal with the challenges. Consequently, because the level of public participation in solid waste management at present in Kamuli Town Council is low, the best way to start dealing with the problem is for the Town Council authorities to show the people that they are worth by involving them in the initial planning process.