SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN NORTHERN NAMIBIA

(OSHAKATI CASE STUDY)

A PROJECT REPORT

Submitted by:

WALLACE NAWA (200909410)

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of BSc. (Hon) Degree in Civil

Engineering

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA
November, 2014

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DECLARATION
This report is a presentation of my original research work. Wherever contributions of others are
involved, every effort is made to indicate this clearly, with due reference to the literature.

The work was done under the guidance of Dr. R. Baur, at the Faculty of Engineering and
Information Technology, Ongwediva.

Wallace Nawa …………………… Date: ………………

In my capacity as supervisor of the candidate’s project, I certify that the above statements are
true to the best of my knowledge.

Dr. R Baur………………………… Date: ……………

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to extend my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to University of Namibia for providing
the research opportunity and to my project supervisor Dr R. Baur for his support and commitment
throughout the research. Also, all the academic and non-academic staff members at the University
of Namibia, who guided me throughout my study period at the university.
I would also like to extend my thanks to Mr K.K. Kapolo, Environmental Health Officer at the
Oshakati town council for his cooperation and support during the research period.
Many thanks are due to my family for their love and support, guiding me, giving me strength and
courage which I needed to successfully finish this research paper.

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ABSTRACT
Waste can be a health hazard if not well managed and can cause serious harm to the environment.
In modern societies, management of this waste is a major priority in order to maintain proper
public health. Despite the importance of solid waste management, municipalities in developing
countries still lag behind in developing and implementing proper waste management policies and
legislation. This is also the case in Namibia where there is little knowledge of the current state of
municipal solid waste management. To develop a modern solid waste management system it is
important to understand the current waste management system. It is for this reason that studies
should be conducted in towns and regions in Namibia. This research was aimed at establishing the
current state of solid waste management in Oshakati, focusing on the methods of waste
management applied in the area.
All types of solid waste in Oshakati ends up at the dumpsite where recyclables are sorted by
scavengers and collected by recycling companies that transport them to Windhoek, Walvis Bay or
South Africa. There is currently no means of treating organic waste to compost despite organic
waste comprising a big percentage of the waste generated in the area.
Currently there is no sanitary landfill in Oshakati as all the waste is disposed of at a dumpsite
which does not have extensions for groundwater monitoring and sits very close to villages.
Animals feed on the waste at the dumpsite and this is a serious health hazard.
Multiple challenges are currently hindering the Oshakati town council’s efforts to conduct proper
solid waste management including; lack of funding, trained stuff and poor public participation in
waste management programs. A lot can be learnt from the findings of this research in order to
target particular aspects of waste management in Oshakati, northern Namibia and Namibia as a
whole.

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Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................................................................. iii
ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................................................... iv
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. GENERAL BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................... 3
1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM........................................................................................................... 4
1.3. OBJECTIVES......................................................................................................................................... 4
1.4. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY .................................................................................................................... 5
1.5. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY............................................................................................................... 5
2. LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................................. 6
2.1 NAMIBIA AND OSHAKATI PROFILE:...................................................................................................... 6
2.2 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS ................................................................................. 7
2.3 RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS WASTE MANAGEMENT ....................................................................... 11
2.4 NAMIBIAN WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICY ....................................................................................... 13
2.5 PROBLEMS WITH SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................... 16
2.6 POTENTIAL IN NAMIBIAN WASTE MANAGEMENT ............................................................................ 19
3. METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................................................... 24
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN............................................................................................................................. 24
3.2 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS .................................................................................................... 24
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ...................................................................................................................... 26
4.1 WASTE COLLECTION AND TRANSPORTATION ................................................................................... 26
4.2 WASTE DISPOSAL............................................................................................................................... 30
4.3 WASTE RECYCLNG AND TREATMENT ................................................................................................ 37
4.4 SHORTCOMINGS OF CURRENT SYSTEM ............................................................................................ 38
5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................... 39
6. REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................................ 41
7. APPENDICES ............................................................................................................................................ 43

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List of Figures

Figure 1: Oshakati on the Namibian map ..................................................................................................... 6

Figure 2: Solid Waste Management Hierarchy ............................................................................................. 7
Figure 3: Dumpsite before and after landslide in Manila, Philippines [7] ................................................... 10
Figure 4: A well-engineered sanitary landfill .............................................................................................. 10
Figure 5: Typical Waste Breakdown by Volume for Northern Namibia [4]................................................. 20
Figure 6: Typical Domestic mix Breakdown by Volume for Northern Namibia [4] ..................................... 21
Figure 7: Total Breakdown Waste Composition for Northern Namibia [4]................................................. 22
Figure 8: Standard solid waste storage bin in Oshakati .............................................................................. 27
Figure 9: Pre-sorted waste storage bins ..................................................................................................... 28
Figure 10: Typical solid waste collection truck ........................................................................................... 29
Figure 11: Medical waste in transit............................................................................................................. 30
Figure 12: Sorted waste at the Othingo dumpsite ...................................................................................... 32
Figure 13: Ashes from burnt waste at Othingo dumpsite ........................................................................... 33
Figure 14: Domestic Animals feeding on waste at the Othingo dumpsite .................................................. 34
Figure 15: Tyres openly disposed at the Othingo dumpsite ........................................................................ 35
Figure 16: Landfill gas collection system..................................................................................................... 36
Figure 17: Diagrammatical representation of the possible system of waste management for urban
Namibia [3] ................................................................................................................................................. 39

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List of Tables:

Table 1: Solid Waste Composition in Ongwediva……………………………………..……..31

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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. GENERAL BACKGROUND
With rapid increasing population and development comes increase in human activities. Human
beings need food, water, energy and several other resources to survive. The use of these resources
generates undesirable materials called waste. Waste makes our living environment untidy and is a
source for disease and can have serious environmental impacts [1]. Solid waste management is
therefore the generation, prevention, characterization, monitoring, treatment, handling, reuse and
residual disposition of solid wastes. Waste management practices around the world range from
sophisticated separation of recyclables and organic waste to unregulated dumping. Throughout
history, waste management consisted of discarding mainly biodegradable materials throughout the
environment. Today, waste management is a science and a necessity, for human health and for
maintaining services provided by the environment. Illegal dumpsites still exist, but increased
awareness and appropriate alternatives are reversing this approach.
In developing countries solid waste management is not quite as sophisticated as in developed
countries and there are several problems and challenges that are encountered when carrying out
this very important operation. However, data available throughout Namibia is very limited, and to
address waste management and pollution control in Namibia, the first step is to identify the main
issues and challenges and then see how these are changing year by year [2].
Hasheela [3] states that “challenges for managing waste in Namibia are: lack of institutional
capacities in some towns to deal with some of the serious waste problems, limited capacity to
manage waste and to control pollution, and financial constraints”.
This study seeks to present the current situation regarding Solid Waste Management in Oshakati
and a comparison with the developed countries, focusing on the problems faced, main direction in
which the modern societies are trying to conduct this activity and analyze the main strategies of
minimization, collection, transportation, processing and final disposal, from the point of view of
their technical and economic efficiency, as well as their environmental impact.

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1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Throughout history, waste management consisted of discarding mainly biodegradable materials

throughout the environment. Waste on its own is a threat to the integrity of the environment, as it
can have negative environmental impacts which result from environmental threats such as air
pollution, illegal dumping of waste, littering, poor sanitation and emission of greenhouse gases.
Today, waste management is a science and a necessity, for human health. Ever-increasing amounts
of solid waste accompanying rapid economic and population growth in developing countries is
challenging municipalities’ ability to sustainably manage it all [3].

Oshakati is still in its early stages of development, therefore all its developmental efforts should
be considered crucial. As part of environmental management in Oshakati, waste management
should be placed as a priority in order to reduce negative environmental impacts and improve
public health. However, there is little information about the state of waste management in Oshakati
and Namibia as a whole. In order for an improved system to be designed, an overall understanding
of municipal waste streams in developing regions is required [2].

1.3. OBJECTIVES
The specific objectives are to:

1. Identify the principles of waste management being applied in Oshakati;

2. Identify the stakeholders of waste management in Oshakati;

3. Establish an understanding of the waste management system in Oshakati;

4. Identify areas of improvement in terms of waste management in Oshakati

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1.4. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
Lenhart [4] conducted a study of solid waste management in Ongwediva, a neigbouring town of
Oshakati and emphasised the need for more research to be conducted in Namibia. To get a clear
picture of the waste management issues, research should be conducted in more cities, at regional
and national levels to help policy makers develop policies aimed at improved solid waste
management. This study will shade light on the current state of waste management in Oshakati
and discuss the main direction in which the modern societies are trying to conduct this activity.
There are a lot of benefits that can be achieved from modern engineering design principles and
legislations in solid waste management. Increasing the amount of waste that is reused through
recycling and composting rather than burning of solid waste can have enormous economic and
environmental benefits. Some of the benefits include reduction in pollution of ground water,
surface water and air. Other design principles can be learnt from developed countries and adopted
to help with better landfill engineering and environmental protection. There is also a huge untapped
business potential in solid waste management, including recycling and composting. Compost can
be very useful in the agriculture industry of Namibia where most of the land consists of sand which
is not suitable for growing crops. To reap these benefits there is need to understand the current
solid waste management operations and systems being practiced and learn their limitations to
sustainable solid waste management [4].

This study will encourage improvements to solid waste management legislations, landfill
engineering and waste management techniques. This will also encourage private sector
participation in recycling and commercial composting and solid waste management as a business.
The study will also open doors to more research on this particular topic to broaden the knowledge
and encourage public participation in waste management.

1.5. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

 Industrial waste is difficult to monitor because companies usually dispose of their own
waste and do not share the data publicly
 There were many delays getting data and permission from the town council due the busy
nature of their offices.

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2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 NAMIBIA AND OSHAKATI PROFILE:
Namibia is located in the west of Southern Africa and it shares land borders with Angola and
Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. Namibia got its
independence in 1990 before which the country was known as South-West Africa. With a
population of just over 2.1 million people and an area of 824, 292km2, Namibia is one of the least
dense countries in the world with 390m2 per capita. Namibia has very strong agriculture and
mining industries. Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa and depends largely on
groundwater. With an average rainfall of about 350 mm per annum, the highest rainfall occurs in
the Caprivi in the northeast.

Figure 1: Oshakati on the Namibian map

Oshakati is a town of 37,000 inhabitants in the Oshana Region in the northern parts of Namibia. It
is the regional capital and was officially founded in July 1966 and is situated in the Cuvelai-Etosha
basin and cut by the Okatana River. Both of these geographic features make the town prone to

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flooding. Oshakati has a semi-arid climate, with hot summers and relatively mild winters. The
average annual precipitation is 472 mm, with most rainfall occurring mainly during summer.

Oshakati like many towns in the northern regions of Namibia still lags in development compared
to the towns in central and southern Namibia that were settlements for the white minorities during
colonial times [5]. However, in recent years there has been significant developments in the town
as the Namibian government works towards distributing wealth across the country and
empowering the people in area that were once oppressed.

2.2 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS

Solid waste management is a very important tool in modern societies as waste has the capacity to
cause serious environmental problems, health problems and is generally not a good sight. Waste
is generally categorised into domestic waste, industrial waste and hazardous waste. This waste can
be in forms of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. The type of waste and its composition
determines the appropriate disposal methods to be employed and therefore the waste is classified
as organic waste, recyclables, hazardous waste and other waste.

Figure 2: Solid Waste Management Hierarchy

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Waste management can be conducted at different levels and the steps are as follows:

I. Waste prevention:

An efficient solid waste management system must start with waste prevention, this is because
reduction in the amount of waste generated will reduce the efforts and resource required to
manage the waste. This also eases the pressure that waste puts onto the environment [6]. It is
based on a simple concept: If you create less waste, you consume fewer resources and you
don't have to spend as much money to recycle or dispose of your waste. This requires
participation from all areas in a society including the commerce, industry and agriculture
sectors, the media and more importantly the general public. A slight adjustment in the average
citizen’s generation of solid waste can bring about significant reduction in solid waste handled
by the municipalities and consequently ease the pressure on the municipalities that have limited
capacity to sustainably handle the waste being generated. . For instance, repairing your old
bicycle instead of buying a new one is a perfect way to reduce waste.

II. Recycling and Re-use of Waste Materials:

Prevention of waste is at the top of the list as far as waste management techniques are
concerned, but as it is very difficult for us humans with the lifestyles that we are used to, the
next best is the recycling and reuse of materials. Waste materials can be recovered through
recycling and re-use processes. Recycling is a strategy used to recover value from waste for
consumption. Re-use refers to making use of discarded waste material products. These are
waste minimization strategies that are implemented in order to reduce the amount of waste
being generated [6]. They are essential, particularly for the fact that they reduce the impact of
waste in the environment. This also reduces the need to produce new material through
processes like mining that are very harmful to the environment. The materials that are typically
recycled are plastic bags, plastic bottles, broken glass, papers, soda cans and other metals

III. Waste Treatment:

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This is the practice of treating waste in order to reduce its volume and its hazardous effects on
the environment. There are several treatment methods that are employed depending on the
nature if the waste including composting and incineration. According to Hasheela [3],
approximately 70% of waste mass can be reduced, while about 90% of waste volume can be
reduced through incineration. Despite its positive aspects, incineration can have negative
environmental impacts, which can result from the emissions and solid residues produced. The
air pollution controls required in incineration plants are extremely expensive. Very often up to
one half of the costs of a plant are due to air pollution control facilities. As the laws can change
and maybe require updates in the air pollution controls this could lead to much higher costs in
the future.

IV. Waste Disposal:

The least prioritized strategy of waste management is waste disposal. In this method, waste is
buried, deposited, discharged, dumped or released in places where they remain for the long-
term. In many cases, urban solid or hazardous wastes are deposited or dumped in specially
engineered landfills [3]. A landfill differs from a dumpsite in that while a landfill is engineered
to contain leachate and is required to have groundwater monitoring systems, a dumpsite is just
an open space that is used for waste disposal and is not required to be have monitoring systems
as is the case for a landfill. Sanitary landfills are designed to concentrate and contain refuse
without creating a nuisance or hazard to public health, the waste is compacted to the smallest
possible volume and covered with a layer of soil at the end of each day, this isolates the refuse
keeping animals away and minimizing the amount of surface water seeping into the waste to
generate leachate and the gas escaping the landfill. Landfills are the most commonly practiced
form of waste management, but the huge requirements of land and the fact that such landfill
adds to pollution of groundwater and air by the formation of leachates and gases have made
city managers wary of this method. Various hazards can come up from poorly engineered
landfills and it is important that they are well monitored and to keep the environment and
society safe.

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Figure 3: Dumpsite before and after landslide in Manila, Philippines [7]

Figure 4: A well-engineered sanitary landfill

Furthermore, dumping of waste in open spaces is said to be a poor waste management approach
especially that it can have harmful effect to the water, land and air resources. Although disposal
can be successful, it is only a temporary solution to the problem because when the lifespan of

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 the landfill´s barriers against leaking of hazardous waste comes to an end, disastrous results
are likely [3].

2.3 RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS WASTE MANAGEMENT

In the area of waste management Namibia faces a number of challenges. General observation has
shown that waste is generated by a great number of stakeholders including: households,
commercial entities, and industries, environmental management institutions, recycling companies,
the health sector and city councils because responsible care of the environment should not only lie
in the hands of one entity, it should be participatory. Most of the waste generated end up in open
dumping and/or landfill sites. The amount of waste produced has increased significantly as a result
of population growth, establishment of industries, and expansion of mines/agriculture and fishing
activities [8].

It is the responsibility of all human beings to care for the environment and to make sure we keep
our world safe and clean for future generations. Considering that we all generate waste, we should
all play a role in waste minimisation, processing, and proper disposal. All stakeholders including
donors, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), popular organizations and
communities therefore have a role to play if solid waste management issues are to be dealt with
successfully [9].

The Namibian government through the Ministry of Health and Social Services is spearheading the
process of reforming the solid waste management in Namibia. They have successfully developed
a National Solid Waste Management Policy which they are aggressively pushing into successful
implementation. All 13 regional councils are pushing to enforce this policy in their duties to serve
the Namibian citizens despite the challenges that they are currently experiencing.

There are also several NGOs including Namibia Nature Foundation that are working tirelessly to
help educate the Namibian society on the importance of sound environmentally friendly practices
and their responsibilities as citizens toward proper waste management and environmental
protection.

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The major stakeholders in waste management identified in northern Namibia include: Businesses,
Schools, Namibia Beverages, Financial institutions, Namibia Breweries Limited and Refuse
removal contractors [4].

Despite the fact that there are several stakeholders for waste management in northern Namibia,
waste management is priority for the government and regional councils. As a result, various
government ministries have taken responsibilities over the management of waste, and are
committed to developing policies and strategies regarding waste management and pollution control
in Namibia. Nevertheless, the overall responsibility over the management of urban waste lies in
the hands of local municipalities and town councils. Such authorities work closely with the private
sector and businesses to implement strategies and policies in line with the National Environmental
Management Act of Namibia. Given the fact that different types of wastes exist they are dealt with
differently by different ministries and organizations. Some of the wastes, such as hazardous wastes
that cannot be handled by the local authorities are dealt with by the government and private
companies. Solid waste is primarily dealt with by the MRLGH through town municipalities,
village authorities and local authorities. The hazardous waste and solid waste and sanitation are
coordinated by Ministry of Mines and Environment, and the Ministry of Health and Social Services
[3].

Integrated solid waste management (ISWM) can be put into practice once the various stakeholders
and their roles are identified. Integrated solid waste management is a waste management system
that best suits the society, economy and the environment in a given location taking into account
various aspects including technical, environmental, financial, social, institutional and legal; which
all have roles to play in the sustainable management of waste. The stakeholders play different roles
ranging from waste minimisation, waste disposal, financing through capital expenditure or
granting of loans, insurance, planning and conducting sensitisation and awareness campaigns,
participating in consultations, administration, decision-making, management of waste services and
development of policies [10].

‘With the sustainable development concept in mind, plans for future waste management should be
included in the political agenda, particularly considering the fact that politics has a big role to play

12
in sustainable development. Today, national policies reflecting waste management systems are
developed and adopted to serve as legal frameworks in efforts to contribute to sustainable waste
Management’ [3].

2.4 NAMIBIAN WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICY

A policy is a deliberate plan of action to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. Policies
differ from rules or laws. While laws can compel or prohibit behaviours (e.g. a law requiring
permits for specific actions) policy merely guides actions to achieve a desired outcome.

Environmental policy determines the objectives guiding, and the strategies to be used in order to
strengthen the respect for environmental values, taking into account the existing social, cultural
and economic situation. The foundation for the Namibian environmental policy framework is
Article 95 (l) of the Constitution. It stipulates that the state shall actively promote and maintain the
welfare of the people by adopting policies which include the: “maintenance of ecosystems,
essential ecological processes and biological diversity of Namibia and utilisation of living natural
resources on a sustainable basis for the benefits of all Namibians”.

As it is the case elsewhere in the world, environmental management is one of the developmental
challenges in Namibia. Namibia has a multitude of policies with environmental relevance. And the
policy that focuses on waste management is the National Waste Management Policy.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services aims at improving approaches, techniques and
methodologies in waste management and is striving to a sustainable approach to waste
management. It is against this background that their National Waste Management Policy has been
developed. The main objective of the waste management policy is to ensure public health and
safety, and the conservation of the environment by encouraging proper waste management by all
stakeholders in order to reduce risks from transmission of diseases and injuries, reduce
environmental pollution, improve aesthetically the surroundings and derive economic benefits
from waste minimization and improved land values. This policy is focusing specifically on Waste
Management and use of various technologies in waste treatment and disposal to minimize health
risks. It is also geared to have a unified waste management system country wide. This policy

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provides the necessary guidance on the processes related to waste management in Namibia while
ensuring the following principles:

 Sustainability
To have lasting positive impact on health and environment, and any new program should
be subjected to sustainability assessment before implementation.

 Affordability
Provision of waste management services shall be affordable to all citizens in Namibia.
 Community participation
The active involvement and participation of communities during the initiation, planning
and implementation of waste management services will be essential in order to promote
the sustainability of the program.
 Accessibility
The Waste Management Services shall be progressively extended to reach all communities
in Namibia.
 Intersectoral Collaboration.
Other line Ministries and Non-Governmental Organizations should be consulted and
involved in the management of waste at all levels.
 Duty of care principle
Any person handling or managing hazardous waste or equipment is ethically responsible
for using the utmost care during the tasks being carried out
 Liability/Polluters pay principle
Implies all producers of waste are legally and financially responsible for the safe and
environmentally sound disposal of the waste they produce. (Household, radioactive,
biological, chemical, medical).
 Precaution principle
This is to ensure health and safety protection. It shall be assumed that all waste are
significantly risky and therefore measures shall be designed to fit the situation at the
moment. All waste must be considered hazardous until shown to be safe

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  Proximity principle
Any person or community handling waste shall recycle or dispose of them at the closest
possible location. Trans-border movement of waste between countries, towns, cities and
villages shall be discouraged by all means.
The policy was developed in stages from the beginning of December 2006, coordinated by the
Ministry of Health and Social Services Task Force assisted by the University Research Corporation
Technical Coordinators. The first draft was developed during a workshop held at Okahandja in
December 2006 [10].

Solid waste management and proper handling of this task is often taken as an indicator of the
successfulness of urban reform. The main issues coming out of the recent research in most
developing countries are:

(1) The importance of appropriate policy context, including the necessary regulation

(2) A role for the private or NGO sector

(3) The introduction of cost recovery mechanisms

(4) More efficient organization of waste collection and processing of waste

(5) The possibility of introducing environmentally friendly and more energy efficient technologies

“Besides private enterprises, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) may also play a role in
activities like solid waste collection, sanitation and public awareness programs. The expectation
was that decentralization and private sector participation in developing countries would improve
service delivery, which has often not happened. Obviously, decentralization and private sector
participation alone are not enough, if proper policies, strategic frameworks for performance
measurements and regulations are not strictly followed. The solution to poor service delivery will
depend not only on the private sector involvement but also on the capacity of actors in solid waste,
institutional arrangements, and the ability of the Local Governments or independent regulator to
monitor performance, regulate and facilitate the solid waste service delivery” [11].

Namibia is committed to promoting sustainable development; the development that aims to meet
the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own

15
needs [12]. It has been clearly stipulated in the National Environmental Management Act of
Namibia that sustainable development must be promoted in all aspects related to the environment
[10].

2.5 PROBLEMS WITH SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Despite all the above mentioned methods are handling waste management, there are multiple
challenges that hinder proper solid waste management especially in developing countries.

Diaz [6] discussed the fundamental problems that are associated with solid waste management in
developing countries. These are mostly associated with poor planning and lack of proper
legislation and laws to govern the handling of solid waste management either by the local
municipalities or whichever institution is given the mandate to conduct this important task in their
respective societies.

Key solid waste issues in developing countries are:

1. Substantial population growth in urban centres

2. Lack of legislation and policies for realistic, long-term planning

3. Inadequate storage and limited collection

4. Lack of proper disposal

5. Use of inappropriate technology and equipment

6. Scavenging

7. Insufficient knowledge of basic principles

The general arguments that come up in discussing the above mentioned issues is that they can be
tackled by some careful planning on a long term basis rather than leaning toward crisis
management. They are pushed by lack of rules and regulations pertinent to solid waste, lack of
training and methods to collect reliable data. Existing plans may be inappropriate in the sense that

16
they are written by people unfamiliar with the area and unrealistic in terms of infrastructure,
equipment, financial and human resources [7]. This means studies have to be conducted in the
appropriate locations by people familiar with the area to ascertain provision of more reliable data
that can be used by politicians, law makers and municipalities to develop more appropriate rules
and laws and help plan solutions not only in the short term but also in the long term.

Uncomplicated waste management practices are currently used in Namibia. In rural areas, waste
management is carried out by individuals. In some areas a newly proclaimed local authority or a
regional council may establish a designated waste site.

This is usually unfenced and unmanaged with individuals depositing their own waste. In larger
local authorities, there may be an attempt to fence the designated landfill site and a caretaker may
be present. Often this job includes burning the waste to reduce its volume and prevent dispersal by
wind. The local authority may collect and transport waste to the site and, in some instances, hires
people to collect waste deposited in any open space.

Generally, capacity to manage waste and control pollution in Namibia is limited, yet we have
access to modern medical services and persistent organic agricultural chemicals that generate
extremely hazardous waste. Although each region of Namibia is different in character, the thirteen
regions all have similarities and differences in their requirements for waste management and
pollution control [2].

Municipalities in Namibia have different strategies of solid waste management being applied.
Towns like Windhoek and Swakopmund have more advanced systems of refuse handling such as
separate bins for various types of waste to ease the sorting process of recyclables. Other towns on
the hand due to various reasons cannot keep up with such modern standards and resort to single
bins for all types of waste or have uncontrolled dumping [14]. In Windhoek, domestic waste,
special waste and hazardous waste are deposited in separate landfill sites. In most other local
authorities throughout Namibia, like Ondangwa special waste and recyclable waste are mixed with
general domestic waste and handled by a single approach. They also use landfills that are not
properly engineered for leachate collection, gas collection and groundwater protection [2].

17
The municipalities that have the most difficulties handling solid waste are mostly the ones that are
located in the Northern regions of Namibia. This can be attributed to limited access to financial
and human resources.

All the above mentions shortcomings bring about more serious problems onto the environment
and societies in the affected towns or regions. These problems include use of land for landfills,
emission of greenhouse gases from landfills, air pollution and water pollution.

Landfills take up a lot of land and the larger the population get, the more land is required to run a
landfill to accommodate increase in population. Considering that the landfill has to be located at
an optimum distance from the city, it becomes more of a challenge when selecting land for this
purpose. If the landfill is too close to the city, it can be a smell nuisance and a risk for transition of
diseases.

Apart from polluting the air a landfill can also pollute water sources both on the surface and
groundwater reservoirs. When landfill waste degrades and rain rinses the resulting products out,
leachate is formed. The decomposition processes themselves release further water which adds to
the volume of leachate. Leachate also reacts with materials that are not themselves prone to
decomposition such as fire ash, cement based building materials and gypsum based materials
changing the chemical composition. The black liquid contains organic and inorganic chemicals,
heavy metals as well as pathogens; it can pollute the groundwater and therefore represents a health
risk. Its composition varies a lot, both from time to time and from site to site so that it is difficult
to treat the liquid in the right way [7]. Most landfills in developing countries are not designed to
contain leachate and as a results the leachate is allowed to pollute not only groundwater but also
surface water which humans and animals use for drinking and other uses depending on the location
of the water bodies and availability of potable water which is also a huge challenge as it is. The
toxins in leachate are also know to negatively affect plant growth and therefore poses a threat to
agriculture which is the livelihood for many families, especially the poor people, research shows
that leachate causes many negative effects including plant stunting and reduction in leaf surface
area when compared with control plants regardless of the amount of dilution used [15].

In sites with large volumes of building waste, especially those containing gypsum plaster, the
reaction of leachate with the gypsum can generate large volumes of hydrogen sulphide which may

18
be released in the leachate and may also form a large component of the landfill gas. Landfill gas
is a complex mix of different gases created by the action of microorganisms within a landfill.
Landfill gas production results from chemical reactions and microbes acting upon the waste as the
putrescible materials begins to break down in the landfill. The rate of production is affected by
waste composition and landfill geometry. Landfill gas is approximately forty to sixty percent
methane, with the remainder being mostly carbon dioxide. Landfill gas also contains varying
amounts of nitrogen and oxygen gas, water vapour, hydrogen sulphide, and other contaminants.
Landfill gases have an influence on climate change. The major components are Carbon Dioxide
and methane, both of which are greenhouse gas. Methane is considered over 20 times more
detrimental to the atmosphere than Carbon Dioxide. Therefore it becomes important to have
landfill gas collection systems at a landfill as the gas (methane) can be used as an energy source
too and also mitigate its greenhouse effect on the earth [16].

2.6 POTENTIAL IN NAMIBIAN WASTE MANAGEMENT

Hasheela [3] identified some weaknesses concerning waste management in the towns of Namibia.
Such weaknesses can be used as opportunities for improvement, particularly because some town
waste management systems seem to be ineffective when it comes to addressing waste. Individual
towns need to place more efforts in the management of waste in order to prevent and minimize
waste for the purpose of reducing environmental impacts. Currently there is an increasing demand
of waste management in Namibia, as a result of the growing population and industrial
development.

19
Figure 5: Typical Waste Breakdown by Volume for Northern Namibia [4]

Waste generation in Namibia varies from one town to another but municipal waste consists of
about 41% organic waste, 43% recyclable waste and 16% other waste. This illustrate the
importance of implementing pre-sorted collection systems in towns, the system would require that
households and business’ sort their waste according to organic waste, cans, plastic, paper and other
waste. This pre-sorted system would allow for a higher rate of recycling and for organic waste to
be turned into compost, which can be used to improve the soil in the region. This becomes even
more important considering that most of the land in northern Namibia is mostly sandy and not
suitable for agriculture.

This also means there is great potential for recycling and reduction of organic waste that is openly
burnt at landfills. Burning of waste in landfills is a common practice in Namibia but has negative
effects of air pollution and contributes to climate change [4].

20
Figure 6: Typical Domestic mix Breakdown by Volume for Northern Namibia [4]

Recycling in one form or another takes place in 24 of 35 local authorities, most carried out by
scavengers. Tin cans are deposited at a depot in Oshakati where they are collected and transported
to Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and South Africa. Improved management of recycling can increase
the amount of income to be generated locally from waste materials [3]. ‘Currently, the waste
management sector employs approximately 900 people in Namibia, 500 of these in Windhoek
alone. If waste management throughout Namibia were raised to the level of Windhoek, 2000 –
3000 jobs would be created within a short period. At the same time, health conditions would be
improved and pollution control, particularly that of groundwater, would be enhanced’ [2].

Currently transporting recyclable waste to South Africa turns out to be by far more cost effective
than transporting to recycling companies in Windhoek and the coastal towns of Namibia.
Transportation rate to Johannesburg or Cape Town pays around N$8000 while the same material
can raise only N$2500 in the Namibian market. This can be attributed to lack of investment into
the local recycling industry and waste management at large. Recyclers in Namibia are challenged
with sourcing funds to enable them to compete with their South African counterparts as Plastic
Technology Centre of Ondangwa mentioned they needed a Glass machine, which costs around
N$70,000 for a used machine [14].

21
Figure 7: Total Breakdown Waste Composition for Northern Namibia [4]

From figure 6 it becomes clear that the solid waste being dumped at the landfills contains way too
much organics and recyclables. This presents an opportunity for both recycling and composting
industries as they would have readily available materials. In Ongwediva, a town in Oshana Region
that is less than 20KM from Oshakati, recyclables comprise of over 40% of the waste going to
landfill, separating the recyclables will reduce the waste stream and the air pollution. To make
recycling and composting easier, a pre-sorted system in which households and businesses separate
their glass, cardboard, plastic, cans, organic and other, similar to Swakopmund, Namibia should
be developed. The municipality can then collect these items and store them safely for recycling
companies to buy. This can be a source of much needed revenue for town councils all over the
Oshana region and Namibia as a whole.

The huge volumes of organic waste that is dumped in landfills could be reduced by composting,
composting is essential to cutting the waste stream by 41%. The town councils in Northern
Namibia could invest in municipal compost systems which would boot the compost market. The
addition of an organic compost market has the potential to improve soil quality in the long term as
opposed to industrial fertilizer which temporarily nourishes soil. This can improve the soil quality
in Northern Namibia and improve the capacity of soil to bind and retain nutrients, encourage the
propagation of soil micro-organisms, improve soil aeration, and improve the water-retaining

22
capacity of soils. Such ventures would not only create employment but is also expected to have
positive return on investment [4].

23
3. METHODOLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
The researcher conducted qualitative research. Case study research is used to establish an
understanding of a phenomenon of interest which in this case was solid waste management. The
study looks into various aspects of the phenomenon to establish and understanding and explanation
of the status quo, focusing on a specific town rather than being general. The town that was chosen
for this research is Oshakati, the capital of the Oshana region and one of the regions in northern
Namibia. The researcher worked closely with the Oshakati municipal council to understand how
solid waste was being handled in the town. Because this research approach is not manipulative and
only seeks to highlight the present situation, it therefore does not fall under experimental research.

3.2 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Both primary and secondary data was used in this research. Primary data is original data that the
researcher obtained through personal observations, questionnaires and interviews while secondary
data is the data from previous research studies conducted by other researchers. Secondary data was
used to explain certain aspects of the study.

Due to the a busy nature of public offices, such as the town council it was easier to compile a list
of questions that relate only to the required information and a set of standardized answers along
with the questions. This allowed for the responders to take their time to go through their records
and give more accurate data while allowing them to go through their busy schedules.

Interviews were also used as they offer more descriptive data from participants while direct
observations helped the researcher gain an understanding of the issues of interest concerning solid
waste management such as how the waste is collected, transported, recycled, treated, disposed and
landfill management. This also included on-site visits to the dumpsite that is operated by the
Oshakati town council. The permission to investigate the dumpsite however was limited and did
not allow the researcher to interfere with processions at the dumpsite or to get into contact with
the solid waste at the site. This as a result meant that the researcher could not conduct a waste
composition analysis on the waste that is coming into the dumpsite.

24
Data was also obtained from various studies that have been conducted in different towns in
northern Namibia including Ondangwa and Ongwediva. This helped the researcher to achieve the
research aim. With the qualitative data obtained through various means, the researcher was able to
get an understanding of how solid waste was being managed in Oshakati with respect to waste
generation, collection, composting, recycling and disposal. This information helped the researcher
identify potential areas of improvement in terms of solid waste management in northern Namibia.

25
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 WASTE COLLECTION AND TRANSPORTATION
Oshakati is a town of 36 541 inhabitants in the Oshana Region in the northern parts of Namibia. It
is the regional capital and was officially founded in July 1966. The total number of inhabitants in
Oshakati has grown by 29% from 28255 in 2001, this is partly due to economic development
activities that are attracting people from rural areas and other town in search of better lifestyles.
This also brings about other challenges such as unemployment, low-incomes, poverty, resource
exploitation and a general poor quality of life. The life expectancy at birth in the Oshana Region
decreased from 61 years in 1991 to 46 years in 2001 in a large part due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Growth in population and economic activities from both commercial, industrial and agricultural
sectors directly leads to increased waste generation which is a threat to the environment. The rate
of waste generation is also affected by living conditions as research shows that wealth people
generally generate more waste than poor people [3].

The responsibility of keeping the town of Oshakati clean and waste management in general is
assigned to the Oshakati Town Council which carries out activities that include: solid waste
management services to domestic, commercial and industrial premise, street sweeping, grass
cutting, public toilet cleaning and conduct public health education campaigns. Some of these
services are carried out by the town council staff while other services are outsourced to external
contractors.

26
The main types of waste that is generated in Oshakati are mainly: bottles, plastics, cans,
cardboards, and scrap metals. The waste generated on a daily basis amounts to roughly 92.5 tons
per day and a per capita generation of about 2.5 kg per person per day. The town council has a
collection service coverage of over 90% of the urban premises and 40% of the rural premises while
95% of commercial premises are serviced. The collection services done directly by the
municipality amounts to only 10% while companies contracted by the municipality collect about
80% of the solid waste and the remaining 10% is not serviced by the municipal council.

Figure 8: Standard solid waste storage bin in Oshakati

Because the department does not have a storage bin standardization policy, the bins that are used
for both communal and individual use vary in sizes and materials from metal bins, plastic bins to
oil drums. The most common type of waste storage bins are plastic bins like, such bins are meant
for certain types of waste such as kitchen waste, garden waste, commercial waste and all light
materials that may not cause any damage to the containers. Despite this case, various types of

27
waste including stones, wood, bricks, iron sheet, sand, heavy metals, tree branches and grass are
still used by residents due to lack of designated bins for such waste.

For more efficient collection of various types of waste, modern solid waste management employs
a technique of distributing multiple bin which are designated for storage of different types of waste
separately i.e. plastic, glass, paper, tins and organic waste. These bins are usually marked or colour
coded to distinguish one from another. This system does not only make it easier to sort various
types of waste for disposal but also makes it easy for recycling companies to collect the type of
waste they intend to use. This is not practiced in Oshakati and northern Namibia in general mainly
due to lack of financial resources and technical knowhow.

Figure 9: Pre-sorted waste storage bins

While this system is costly initially, the municipality can collect these items and store them safely
for recycling companies to buy. This can be a source of much needed income for the town council
while at the same time promoting recycling and better environmental protection

28
The Oshakati town council does not have a standardized solid waste collection vehicle/equipment
policy but has set some guides for its contractors. The primary vehicles used for solid waste
collection are caged light trucks with high guard rails such as the one in figure 9. Private

Figure 10: Typical solid waste collection truck

companies and individuals that are not serviced by the town council waste management unit or
those that for one reason or another have need dispose of waste on their own use various forms of
transport to move waste to the landfill. Medical waste is considered very sensitive and is handled
differently and separately from domestic and commercial waste as it is hazardous.

29
 Figure 11: Medical waste in transit.

4.2 WASTE DISPOSAL

There is only one landfill in Oshakati where all types of waste is disposed of. This is located about
5km west of the central business district of Oshakati along the Okahao road, covers an area of 10
hectors and receives solid waste from distances ranging from 3km to 12 km. This landfill site
which is called Othingo was opened in 2006 and is expected to be operational until 2018 giving it
an expected total life span of 13 years. The general objective of a landfill is to avoid both long-
term and short-term environmental impacts such as bad smell, flies, air pollution, wind-blown
litter, surface and groundwater pollution and landfill gas generation. Various types of waste in
disposed of in this landfill except for hazardous waste such as medical waste which is incinerated.

30
The Oshakati town council currently does not have information on the exact composition of the
waste that is disposed of at their landfill site in Othingo. There is however information on the waste
composition of other towns in the region including Ondangwa and Ongwediva. The towns are all
in the same region and have similar cultures and income profiles. There could however be minor
differences in the waste compositions of the towns due to differences in the profiles of the
businesses and industries that operate in these towns. Below is the waste composition data from
Ongwediva:

Table 1: Solid Waste Composition in Ongwediva [4]

MATERIAL COMPOSITION (%)

Organic Waste 40.99
Aluminium 1.73
Glass 2.11

Cardboard 18.15
Paper 0.52
Plastic 20.57
Tin 0.33
Other metals 0.38
Building Rubble 3.71
Other 11.28

Private companies and residents are allowed to bring in their waste on any day at no cost with the
waste that is brought in ranging from construction waste, domestic waste and garden waste.

31
Figure 12: Sorted waste at the Othingo dumpsite

Once the waste is received on the site, there are scavengers that are employed by the town council
to sort the waste that is brought in. the waste is sorted into cans, scrape metal, cardboards and
plastics. Scavengers are an important component of waste management and recycling in Oshakati.
This is mostly because there is no pre-sorted waste collection system in Oshakati and the only way
to recover recyclables is at the dumpsite rather than the source (households). These scavengers
sort between 60-90 % of the recyclables that are brought in to the dumpsite. These materials are
then sold to the recycling companies such as Rent-a-drum who either send the materials to
Windhoek and Walvis Bay or export the materials to South Africa. Improving the living and
working conditions for scavengers requires urgent attention as these scavengers sleep at the landfill
while surviving on collection and sale of waste materials and work without proper safety
equipment which increases their risk of contracting diseases.

32
Figure 13: Ashes from burnt waste at Othingo dumpsite

To reduce the volume of this waste in the landfill and to increase the lifespan of the landfill, the
waste is compacted or burnt regularly.

A landfill for waste disposal needs to be fenced to prevent both animals and humans from
interfering with the waste that is discarded here. This is also the case with the Othingo dumpsite
that is also guarded everyday by security guards hired by the Oshakati town council. Despite the
fencing which is also installed to contain windblown waste, there are animals which come into the
dumpsite to graze. The animals come from neighbouring villages and are attracted by the organic
waste that is brought into the dumpsite every day. Animal grazing at a dumpsite is considered a
serious hazard that should be carefully controlled because there are a lot of substances that can be
ingested by the animal including heavy metals and the animals can easily contract diseases from
the waste and from the wild birds that also feed from this site.

33
Figure 14: Domestic Animals feeding on waste at the Othingo dumpsite

These heavy metals can be transferred to the humans who may eat these animals as there are the
primary livelihood for the villagers in this area. There are also houses that are as close as 300m
from the dumpsite and there has been a well-documented dispute between the residents of the area
and the Oshakati town council. The local people have complained of litter flying out the dumpsite
and in to their homes, bad smell from the dumpsite especially in the evening when the waste is
burnt in the open. Open burning of waste is considered not only a danger in terms of air pollution
to people and animals living in adjacent areas but also has greenhouse effects and therefore
contributes towards global warming.

Another issue of serious concern at the Othingo dumpsite is the open disposal of hazardous waste.
Currently, all other hazardous waste such as electronics, refrigerators, oil cans, hair spray canisters,
tires etc. are taken to the Othingo dumpsite, and in some cases electronics are repaired and resold.
When batteries, thermostats, electronics, oil, and other potentially hazardous wastes are improperly

34
disposed of, they can harm public health and the environment. Batteries and e-waste such as
computers, printers, cell phones and tyres contain toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and
cadmium.

Figure 15: Tyres openly disposed at the Othingo dumpsite

When these items are thrown away in the trash, they end up in landfills, and these toxic compounds
can leach into soil and water, polluting lakes and streams and making them unfit for drinking,
swimming, fishing, and supporting wildlife. This is even more of a danger in the Oshana region
where the landscape is full of shallow seasonal lakes called Oshanas from which the name of the
region is derived. Strict control regulations should be applied from the point of production,
movement, management, and disposal of hazardous waste. The Oshakati town council have not
designated Othingo dumpsite for disposal of hazardous waste but lack of proper control of its
disposal and alternative disposal methods makes it difficult for the public to safely discard such

35
waste. Such waste should be treated and then buried at a landfill specifically designed for disposal
of hazardous waste.

The Othingo dumpsite does not offer any form of leachate control, gas collection measures,
groundwater monitoring equipment on site. A modern landfill should be lined with waterproof
materials, such as plastic, that prevent leachate from getting into the environment and
contaminating the ground. They also have drains that capture leachate so it can be treated or
disposed of properly and special water wells all around that are monitored for any leaks. This is
however not the case with the site at Othingo where the town council still fails to add such
important elements to the facility and the same goes for landfill gas. Landfill gas is a complex mix
of different gases created by the action of microorganisms within a landfill.

Figure 16: Landfill gas collection system

Landfill gas is about 40-60% methane, with the remainder being mostly carbon dioxide (CO2).
Landfill gas also contains varying amounts of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapour, sulphur and a
hundreds of other contaminants depending upon the landfill design and its management, as well
as waste composition, compaction, moisture and several other factors. Modern landfills should
have gas collection systems installed and utilise this valuable renewable energy source for power

36
generation. If landfill gas is allowed to escape to atmosphere, methane contained within it is a
powerful greenhouse gas, 21 times more so than carbon dioxide.

4.3 WASTE RECYCLNG AND TREATMENT

Recycling contributes to the reduction of climate change potential of production and consumption
by providing raw materials and avoiding processes that consume primary resources. Recycling
also reduces the amount of waste that is deposited in landfills and as a result extends the lifespan
of a landfill. Most materials can be recycled but the recycling rate is usually dependant on the cost
of recycling the materials. Materials such as paper, plastic and cans are generally easier and
cheaper to recycle compared to some complex materials such as rubber [17].

Section 3.2 (I) of the Environmental Management Act states that 'the reduction, re-use and
recycling of waste must be promoted,’ Government sees recycling as the responsibility of local
authorities. There is little that is done by local authorities however in terms of recycling as in
Oshakati, the primary collector of recyclables is Rent-a-drum. The collect recyclables that are
sorted at the dumpsite in Othingo and transport them to Walvis Bay and Windhoek where they are
processed before being sent to South Africa for recycling as there are currently no facilities to
recycle these material in Oshakati. Litter pickers are therefore a very important part of solid waste
management in Oshakati because they earn a living sorting out the waste at the dumpsite which
would otherwise pile up at the site.

Organic waste on the other hand is disposed at the dumpsite and remains there because there are
currently no companies that are processing this organic waste into compost. Composting is the
biological decomposition of the biodegradable organic fraction of municipal solid waste under
controlled conditions to a state sufficiently stable for nuisance-free storage and handling and for
safe use in land applications. Organic waste typically consists of biodegradable garden and park
waste, food and kitchen waste from households, restaurants, caterers and retail premises, and
comparable waste from food processing plants.

Considering that a large portion of municipal solid waste is organic in nature, there is serious need
for composting facilities in Oshakati as a town or at least at regional level in order to reduce the
amount of waste that is being taken to landfills and ultimately better protect the environment.

37
Another form of waste treatment is incineration, this form of waste management is used when
getting rid of hazardous waste. In Oshakati hospital incinerator is used to treat medical waste and
other hazardous waste before it can be disposed of at the dumpsite. The waste comes in from
multiple clinics and hospital including from neighbouring towns, Ongwediva and Ondangwa.

4.4 SHORTCOMINGS OF CURRENT SYSTEM

The Oshakti town council mentioned facing multiple challenges in delivering solid waste
management services to the residents with the most serious one being lack of planning, lack of
equipment, lack of financial resources, and lack of capacity to enforce legislation. Other problems
include poor public cooperation, uncontrolled use of packaging materials and poor response to
waste minimization (reuse/recycling). Most of the problems encountered can easily be narrowed
down to either lack of financial resources and poor planning either at the town level or national
level. The main shortcoming with the current waste management system in Oshakati are:

 Mixing of all types of waste makes it difficult to collect for recycling

 Use of a dumpsite instead of a landfill
 Lack of statistical data on solid waste management in the town
 Disposal of hazardous waste at the dumpsite
 Lack of landfill monitoring systems for groundwater, leachate and landfill gas
 Poor enforcement of laws regarding waste disposal
 A lot of materials that could be recycled or treated to compost still end up at the dumpsite
 Animals feeding at the dumpsite is a serious public health hazard
 Poor public knowledge and participation
A lot can be achieved if all stakeholders including the town council, recycling companies and the
general public pay their roles towards better waste management as stated in chapter two. Based on
the shortcomings identified, solutions can then be thought out while encouraging all stakeholder
to be part of the solution.

38
5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
From the data collected and observations made, there are a lot of areas that require immediate
attention to improve the current waste management system in Oshakati. The current system poses
a threat to public health and will only get worse as the population grows and the town expands.
There should be more strict control and monitoring from waste generation to disposal, the National
Waste Management policy should be used as are guide to shift from poor waste management to
more sustainable methods. Despite the local town council are doing their utmost best to manage
waste, to some extent there are some areas that still need improvement. Issues such as waste
minimization, landfill site monitoring and reduction of negative environmental impacts still need
attention. There should be a system to collect data about sources, types and amount waste in order
to facilitate proper planning both in the short term and long term. Research conducted in various
parts of Namibia has brought about various suggestions of conducting waste management in
Namibia. Hasheela [3] presented a waste management system that can easily be used in any town,
this systems illustrated in figure17 focuses on waste prevention and reduction techniques while at
the same time promoting public awareness, increased regulations and environmental taxes.

Figure 17: Diagrammatical representation of the possible system of waste management for urban Namibia [3]

39
Therefore from the identified shortcomings, the following recommendations are proposed:

1. A new site for landfill should be located or have the local people staying near the landfill
relocated because they are at risk of contracting diseases
2. There should be strict control on the items that are disposed at the dumpsite, particularly
hazardous waste disposal and introduction of environmental taxes and penalties to
discourage would be violators
3. The dumpsite should be upgraded to a landfill that will house leachate control measures
such as a lining and drainage to contain leachate and groundwater monitoring systems to
make sure the pollution in the groundwater does not affect local people and their crops and
livestock
4. More funds should be allocated to waste management to allow for investments into modern
systems of waste management
5. There should be more educational programs for the public and in schools to promote waste
reduction and public participation in waste management
6. Pre-sorted waste collection bins should be introduced as they will help encourage recycling
in the town and generally ensure that less recyclables end up in dumpsites
7. Open burning of waste at the dumpsites should be discontinued because of the air pollution
it causes.
8. The town council should develop a system to collect statistical data on solid waste
management to enable them to plan and target particular aspects of the system
9. There should be investments in a composting facility in the town or region to reduce the
amount of organic waste dumped at the dumpsite
With the above recommendations in mind, more studies should be done in the town targeted
at particular aspects such as waste generation patterns, public opinions on waste management
and new technologies that can be applied presently and in the future.

40
6. REFERENCES

[1] L. Moningka, “Community Participation in solid waste management. Factors favouring the
sustainability of community participation. A literature review,” in UWEP Occassional Paper,
Netherlands, 2000.

[2] UNCED, “State Of The Environment Report on Waste Management And Pollution Control In
Namibia,” United Nations, Namibia, 2001.

[3] R. Hasheela, “Municipal Waste Management in Namibia: The Windhoek Case Study,” Universidad
Azteca, Windhoek, 2009.

[4] A. Lenhart, “Waste Management in Northern Namibia, Ongwediva a Case Study,” United States
Fulbright Program, Ongwediva, 2012.

[5] K. Norma, State, Society and Democracy, Windhoek: Gamsberg Macmillan , 2000.

[6] H. Jacobsen and M. Kristoffersen, “Case studies on waste minimisation practices in Europe,”
European Environment Agency, Copenhagen, 2002.

[7] L. Diaz, “Solid Waste Management in Developing Countries: Status, Perspectives and Capacity
Building,” in Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting for CSD: United Nations Headquarters, New
York City, 2011.

[8] O. Agbarachi, Urban Waste Management in Port Harcourt Metropolis of the Niger Delta Region in
Nigeria, Nicaragua, 2009.

[9] F. Capra and G. Pauli, Steering Business towards Sustainability, Tokyo: United Nations University
Press, 1999.

[10] R. Henry, Z. Yongsheng and D. Jun, Municipal solid waste management challenges in developing
countries: Kenyan case study, Nairobi, 2006.

[11] MoHSS, National Waste Management Policy, Windhoek: MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL
SERVICES, 2010.

[12] M. P. Van Dijk and Oduro-Kwarteng, “Urban management and solid waste issues in Africa,”
Amsterdam, September 2007.

[13] J. Glazewski, Environmental Law in South Africa, South Africa: Butterworths, 2000.

41
[14] M. Yoav, “Waste Management and Recycling Study in Namibia,” Bachelor Thesis Environmental
Engineering, Windhoek, 2010.

[15] R. Maali and H. Sawalha, “Landfill leachate as an abiotic disease factor affecting agricultural crops
in the Jenin District,” in Scientific Conference for Agricultural Research, Nigeria, 2012.

[16] O. o. A. Q. P. a. S. Research, “Air Emissions from Municipal Solid Waste Landfills-Background

Information for Proposed Standards and Guidelines,” Unites States Environmental Protection
Agency, North Carolina, 1991.

[17] K. Sander, “CLIMATE PROTECTION POTENTIALS OF EU RECYCLING TARGETS,” Ökopol GmbH,

Germany, 2008.

42
 7. APPENDICES
Appendix A: Landfill/Dumpsite Questionnaire

Landfill/Dumpsite Questionnaire

Legal Name of Public Entity: _________________________________________________ Effective

Date: _______________________________________________________________________
1. Type of facility:  Landfill  Dump  Transfer station
2. Advise if the site is:  owned by the entity, or  operated by the entity.
3. Has the site been designated as either a hazardous waste or superfund site by the EPA? ....................  Yes  No
4. a. Describe the site as specifically as possible: __________________________________________________________________
b. What is immediately adjacent to landfill site? __________________________________________________________________
c. What is the nearest body of water? ___________________________________________________________________________
How far away from the site? __________________________________________________________________________________
d. What is the nearest building? _________________________________________________________________________________
How far away from the site? __________________________________________________________________________________
5. a. Total number of acres: _________________________
b. Number of acres in use: ________________________
c. Number of years operated: _____________________
d. What is the remaining useful life? _______________
e. Is the landfill licensed or certified? ......................................................................................................  Yes  No
If “yes,” by what agency? _____________________________________________________________________________________
6. Security provisions:
a. Fenced? ..............................................................................................................................................  Yes  No
Height? ____________________________________________
b. Attendant? ...........................................................................................................................................  Yes  No
Hours? _____________________________________________
c. Locked?...............................................................................................................................................  Yes  No
Describe lock policy: _________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Describe waste accepted:
a. Type (residential, commercial, etc.) ___________________________________________________________________________
b. Form (solid, liquid, sludge, etc.) _______________________________________________________________________________
c. Hazardous waste? ..............................................................................................................................  Yes  No
If “yes,” explain: ______________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Any record of violation or citations outstanding? .......................................................................................  Yes  No
If “yes,” explain: __________________________________________________________________________________________________

43
9. How are leachate and methane exposures evaluated and controlled? _____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Number of inactive landfills: ____________ Locations: _____________ No. of acres: ________________
11. Are monitoring wells installed? ................................................................................................................  Yes  No
If “yes,” describe any protection surrounding: _____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
12. a. Describe closure plans for landfill: ___________________________________________________________ (Cite time frame)
b. Were EPA guidelines followed? ........................................................................................................  Yes  No
13. If transfer station:
a. Are dumpsters used? ........................................................................................................................  Yes  No
b. Is there an open pit? ..........................................................................................................................  Yes  No
c. Is entity responsible for transportation to landfill? .............................................................................  Yes  No
If “no,” is it contracted? (Provide certificate of insurance.) ................................................................  Yes  No
14. Do you have animals that graze within the landfill area?......................................................................... Yes  No

15. What Issues do you have with the local people?..............................................................................................

16. Who brings in the waste to the landfill?.............................................................................................................

17. What type of vehicles bring in waste?...............................................................................................................

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Appendix B: Questionnaire for Solid Waste Management Survey

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