| dc.description.abstract | The main objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the management of plastic waste in Kampala central division. The study was carried out in Kampala Central Division with interviews and self-administered questionnaires on household respondents from Kisenyi (II) Parish, Plastics Manufacturing Companies, key Government agencies and stakeholders responsible and involved in waste management. These were mainly; KCCA, NEMA, Ministry of Water and Environment and waste pickers at Kitezi dumping site where all City Waste is finally transported for final disposal. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics and the summary of results was presented in frequency percentage tables. Pearson’s Chi-square and t-Test was used to determine the relationship between the study variables
The study revealed that 40% of household respondents use plastic bags to store plastic waste, 15% use sacks for storage and, 35% have no containers and dispose waste at a central point (CP) located at some distance away from residential areas where waste is picked and transported to Kitezi dumping site. Burning (incineration) as a method of disposal is done by 13%. Recycling is done by 1% of the manufacturers. The results indicated that there was no statistically significant association between the methods of plastic disposal and other variables. For example the statistic (P> 0.05) is not significant (P=0.36) for the association between methods of plastic disposal and literacy level.
The study also confirmed that the existing policy on plastics, which is mainly the government ban on polythene bags thinner than 30 microns lacks implementation. The policy on solid waste management is general, without detailed specifications on how to manage plastics. This does not provide any precise measure to effect plastic waste management.
Majority of the waste pickers (78%) much as they earn a living through sorting, have a negative attitude about plastic waste picking because of the little income and health risks involved. The study revealed that 31.3% of stakeholders are careless and simply throw plastics and some end up on the streets and drainage channels. Further, 60% of the households use plastics everyday despite poor disposal. Having pooled all the stakeholders together, the study revealed that the majority of the stakeholders (68%) are not willing to sort plastics from waste. Despite the government ban on use of plastic bags, 6% of the respondents (manufactures) have persisted to manufacture plastic bags. This enhances continuous circulation of polythene bags and other plastics in the country. However, some stakeholders are positively contributing to the management of the plastics. Waste pickers recover, sort and sell plastic waste to recycling industries which is in harmony with the 3Rs (reduce, re-use, recycle) recommended by environmentalists.
The study revealed that plastic waste management practices in Uganda are still ineffective and this is attributed to lack of implementation of government policy and legislation on plastic waste. There is need to sensitize the public about the environmental damage caused by plastics. Manufactures need to be encouraged to do more of recycling of the used plastics in order to absorb big volumes of plastic waste disposed on the environment. | en_US |
