Abstract:
Solid waste management is increasingly becoming a great concern to most urban centers of
most developing world. The uncollected waste poses significant threats to environmental
sustainability, human health and socioeconomic stability
The study investigated the Municipal Solid Waste management practices among different
residential communities in Lugazi Municipality using Lugazi central division
The main objective was to determine municipal solid waste management practices among
different resident communities. Specific objectives were to identify source of the nature of
municipal solid waste, reasons for existing handling and disposal practices used by residents
as well as strategies to solve solid waste management challenges in Lugazi Municipality
The study used random sampling technique to determine a sample size of 60 respondents.
Mostly, qualitative data was obtained from open and closed questionnaire direct observation
and face to face interview in Lugazi central division.
Then the collected data were coded, interpreted and entered into Excel. Further data was
analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS)
It was found that food wastes, plastics, polythene and paper were the major composition of
municipal solid waste generated in Lugazi municipality. Disposal practices employed by
residents were burning of solid waste, open dumping, dumping at the roadsides open fields
and river sides as well as other practices like burying and this was due to lack of access to
waste collection services, inadequate waste management infrastructure, unaffordability of
waste disposal services, and inconvenient waste collection schedules
The study also revealed that the segregated solid wastes were reused as feeds for livestock
such as poultry, cows, and goats as well as fertilizers in the gardens. The non-degradable
solid waste like polythene and plastics were burnt since they had negative impact on the
environment
