6. Wastes Management in African Cities

Wastes are considered as normal and inevitable output of production and consumption processes, but when they are poorly managed, they are potentially harmful to the environment, health and socioeconomic development. Waste management is indeed a major obstacle to sustainable development in most African cities due to various factors including high population growth, rapid urbanization, increasing economic activity, increasing need for consumer goods, and more importantly the lack of sustainable waste management strategies both at national and local levels, including lack of adequate policies. The combination of these factors creates significant amounts of waste whose management represents a major challenge for sustainable development of African cities. Sustainable solutions in waste management will require an integrated approach through a comprehensive urban planning system, use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), a strong and innovative financial mechanism, appropriate mechanisms for community participation and private sector involvement. This chapter focuses mainly on solid waste management in the context of African cities.