Firsthand report on solid waste management practice in the major town of Addis Ababa-Adama economic corridor,...

Rapid population growth and economic development in Ethiopia have led to increased solid waste generation due to heightened consumption and a throwaway mentality. This has resulted in overcrowding, informal settlements, poor waste management, public health concerns, and environmental issues. Collecting accurate data on solid waste generation and composition in Ethiopia is challenging because of its limited scope and inconsistencies across the country. This assessment focuses on evaluating solid waste generation and composition in households, commercial establishments, and institutions located in the Addis Ababa-Adama corridor in the Oromia province. The research adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative approaches to collect data the solid waste generation rates and composition from major sectors such as households, institutions, and commercial activities. The average generation rates of solid waste per household in the three towns were estimated to be 0.21 ± 0.10, 0.31 ± 0.19, and 0.19 ± 0.13 kg/day/person for Dukem, Bishoftu, and Mojo, respectively. Individuals with higher income levels produced higher amounts of solid waste per person. The average daily waste generation rate in the commercial sector was estimated to be 4.97 kg/day for Dukem, 38.34 kg/day for Bishoftu, and 3.29 kg/day for Mojo. Waste composition analyses revealed that the majority of waste generated was organic waste, with 65 %-69.5 %. A high fraction of organics in municipal solid waste (MSW) offers several advantages, including the production of biogas and compost. Small and medium enterprises are primarily responsible for waste collection, with collection efficiencies estimated at 70 %, 46 %, and 63.2 % for Bishoftu, Dukem, and Mojo, respectively. Uncollected waste ends up in open dumps or is burned.