WASTE MANAGEMENT IN KUMBA MUNICIPALITY

ABSTRACT

Recent years have seen an appreciable growth in the level of understanding of the dangers facing the national and international environment and an extensive range of waste problems is now the subject of serious international concern. These include Solid waste, industrial waste, domestic waste, the dangers of nuclear and other extra-hazardous substances and threatened wildlife species. Such problems though emanating from a single state have an international dimension in two obvious respects. First, waste generated from within a particular state often has a serious impact upon other countries. Despite these attempts made by the government on waste management, waste pollution still prevails in Cameroon especially in areas like Kumba. This is because though these laws have been adopted, the implementation measures are lagging behind with much of the blame going to lack of adequate resources to combat waste, as well as lack of environmental specialists. This research therefore ends by proposing that the Cameroon government should prioritize environmental impact assessment measures while always taking into consideration the precautionary and the preventive principle on waste management in the country.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Waste management includes the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal. This includes the collection, transport, treatment and disposal of waste, together with monitoring and regulation of the waste management process and waste-related laws, technologies, economic mechanisms.

Much of the history of Western civilizations has been characterized as exploitation, destruction, and no caring for the environment. Various arguments have been advanced to explain the roots of our environmentally destructive tendencies, including our religions, our social and economic structure, and our acceptance of technology Brownile J (2008). In the first chapter of Genesis, people are commanded by God to subdue nature, to procreate, and to have dominion over all living things. This anthropocentric view of nature runs through the Judaeo-Christian doctrine, placing humans at the pinnacle of development and encouraging humans to use nature as we see fit. Perhaps the problem is with science and technology.

Recent years have seen an appreciable growth in the level of understanding of the dangers facing the international environment and an extensive range of environment problems is now the subject of serious international concern A. Kiss and J.-P(2004). These include atmospheric pollution, marine pollution, global warming and ozone depletion, the dangers of nuclear and other extra-hazardous substances and threatened wildlife species M. Carwardine (1990). Such problems have an international dimension in two obvious respects. First, pollution generated from within a particular state often has a serious impact upon other countries. The prime example would be acid rain, whereby chemicals emitted from factories rise in the atmosphere and react with water and sunlight to form acids. These are carried in the wind and fall eventually to earth in the rain, often thousands of miles away from the initial polluting event. Secondly, it is now apparent that environmental problems cannot be resolved by states acting individually. Accordingly, co-operation between the polluting and the polluted state is necessitated.

However, the issue becomes more complicated in those cases where it is quite impossible to determine from which country a particular form of environmental pollution has emanated. This would be the case, for example, with ozone depletion. In other words, the international nature of pollution, both with regard to its creation and the damage caused, is now accepted as requiring an international response.

While modern societies face growing concern about global environmental issues, developing countries are experiencing complex, serious and fast-growing pollution problems of their own. The potent combination of industrialization, urban development and mass consumption trends is exacerbated by foreign companies operating with little regard for the impact on the local environment.

Waste is more than just a health issue; it is a wider social issue in that pollution has the potential to destroy homes and communities. Pollution problems are also closely tied to the mode of development in developing countries. Despite this, many developing countries either have not developed environmental pollution control measures, or have not provided adequate implementation structures to ensure that policies are effective. Cameroon is one of such developing countries.Waste  is a wide-reaching problem and it is likely to influence the health of human populations is great.

The protection of the land from Industrial pollution continues to be an environmental onus for the Cameroonian society today. This is evidenced in urban areas with relatively high industrial concentration. This work sought to critically identify and present a detail analysis of the efforts made by the government and all relevant stakeholders towards reducing the emission of industrial effluents on the local terrestrial environment Asangwe, C. K. A,(2008). It was observed that despite the existence of some impressive regulatory prescriptions charted out by the government in recent decades, continuous weak governance, inadequate human and financial resources, the presence of very few waste incineration plants and ineptitude regulatory implementation mechanisms amongst others, all pose serious impediments and challenges. The project thus outlines some of these defects and recommends suggestions whereby all stakeholders can concert together to wholly address and ameliorate the situation Asangwe, C. K. A,(2008).

It is no longer a question of vague threats; people are being affected now and it’s impacting our economy, our conditions of life and our potential for development. Pollution of all sorts has been the main problem in Cameroon and frameworks have been adopted to address the issues. Despite these pollution still suffices and has a converse effect on the society. This has led to the problem in this research.

1.2 Statement of Problem

This research is therefore motivated by the desire to examine the factors propelling the increase in waste in Kumba municipality while proffering solutions to the stated problem.

1.3 Research Questions

1.3.1General Research Question

How effective is waste management in Kumba?

1.3.2 Specific Research Questions

1. Is waste properly managed in the Kumba Municipality?

2. What are the causes of waste in the Kumba Municipality?

3. What are the challenges faced in the control of waste in Kumba?

1.4 Research Hypotheses

This research will be carried out under the following propositions:

1.4.1 Main Hypotheses

H₀: There is no proper waste management in the Kumba urban council.

1.4.2 Subsidiary Hypotheses

H1: The control of waste management is effectively carried out in Kumba through the implementation of existing Institutions on the subject matter,

H2: The control of waste  is effectively carried out in Kumba; implementation mechanisms are lacking or ineffective to an extent.

H3: It is presumed that there are many challenges faced in waste management in Kumba