Waste Characterization Study
Conducted in Livingstone, Southern Province, Zambia.
EDGAR CHILANZI MULWANDA (MSc. Sustainability Planning & Environmental Policy, BSc.
Environmental Health, Dip. Project Management, Dip. Environmental Health),
SUSTAINABILITY EXPERT
JULY 2020
Table of Contents
Abbreviations and Acronyms .............................................................................................................. 3
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 4
Determination of sampling points and sample ............................................................................... 4
Waste Categorization ............................................................................................................................. 4
Planning and Training of Staff ............................................................................................................... 5
Equipment and Materials ...................................................................................................................... 6
Field data and Interpretation ............................................................................................................... 6
Findings ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
Challenges................................................................................................................................................. 7
Annexes...................................................................................................................................................... 8
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Abbreviations and Acronyms
Kg
Kilogram
PPE
Personal Protective Equipment
CBD
Central Business District
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Introduction
This Waste Characterization Study was conducted in Livingstone for Environment
Africa / Terres Des Hommes Germany (TDH) from 1st to 5th July 2020 to determine
how much of each waste stream is generated by different facilities. The study w
as meant for planning purposes and to assist determine the feasibility of the recy
cling business in the city of Livingstone.
Determination of sampling points and sample
The first step was to determine sampling points at which raw data would be
collected. The sampling points were randomly selected, while sample size was
determined as follows;
Sample point
Category
CBD
Supermarkets
CBD
Peri urban
Location
Sample
Size
Mosi-O-Tunya 1
Shoprite at
Square
Limpos Bar / Restaurant
cost Namatama Compound
Bar
Households (Low
Areas)
Urban Area
Households (Medium Cost
Areas)
Urban Area
Households (High Cost
Areas)
Town
Common heap of waste
Town
210L Drum of waste
Town
and Hotels
Outside
Urban
Markets
Town
Food establishment
Total
2
4
Two Seventeen Area
4
Airport Area
4
CBD
CBD
Avani and Warm Habour
hotels
Dambwa Central Market
Zest Restaurant
1
8
2
1
1
28
Waste Categorization
The waste streams were categorized as per the table below;
S/n
1
2
3
4
Waste Type
Organics
Paper
Cardboard
Bulky cardboard
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Food waste, wet waste, kitchen waste etc.
Newspaper, Magazines etc.
cardboard boxes, carton boxes etc.
Bulky carton and cardboard boxes etc.
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Plastics
PET Plastic bottles
Glass
Metals
Bulky metals
Electrical equipment
Hazardous wastes
Garden waste
Other combustibles
14 Other bulky combustibles
15 Ash
16 Building /Construction
materials
Sacks, HDP bottles, Maheu bottles etc.
Clear and colored PET Bottles
Jars, colorful and colorless glasses etc.
Metals, iron, cans, tins and aluminum
materials etc.
Heavy metals etc.
Phones, radios, PC etc.
Batteries, accumulators, paint boxes etc.
Wood and other garden wastes
Materials like diapers, shoes, bags, textile,
carpets etc.
Furniture etc.
Ash
Stones, rocks, sand and construction
materials etc.
Planning and Training of Staff
A planning meeting was held and a team consisting of one environment, health
and safety officer/ Supervisor with six general workers was set up.
The staff were trained in the aim of the waste audits, audit steps, health and safety
as well as risks involved in the exercise. The use of personal protective equipment
(PPE) was emphasized and all team members were taught on the importance of
wearing full PPE at all times during the entire process.
In addition, the staff were encouraged and instructed to take breaks and drink
enough water to stay hydrated at all times.
Lastly all personnel involved were warned of risks of infection that could arise from
sorting waste materials and subsequent complications or problems that may
occur if PPE was not used at all times during the entire exercise. Hand washing
with soaps before eating or drinking was emphasized and all members not
adhering to set rules were warned and would face instant dismissal from the rest
of the team.
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Equipment and Materials
To carry out this exercise for field data collection, the following tools, materials
and equipment were organized;
1. Shovels
2. 25Kg and 50Kg sacks
3. Weighing scale
4. Hard cover book plus spreadsheets
5. Ball point pen
6. Face masks
7. Safety gloves
8. Work suits
9. Permanent Marker
10. Safety goggles
Field data and Interpretation
Field data collection involved visiting each sampled point, collecting the waste
materials and preparing the work site in such a way to avoid mixing the collected
waste with other materials. Permission was sought from a sampled facility before
accessing the waste materials for sorting or collecting.
Each team members were given a sack properly marked with the waste type to
be loaded. Different waste types were written on sacks for easy sorting and
weighing. Only sorted waste materials were weighed and readings recorded in a
book. The same procedure was used all types of waste stream generated at a
facility sampled.
The waste figures were recorded with two decimal places using a hanging scale.
The supervisor was present at all times during the exercise to ensure accuracy and
consistency. The data collected were recorded as shown in the tables below.
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Findings
These can be provided on request from the Author.
Challenges
During field data collection, the following challenges were encountered
1. Some houses could not welcome the study team, fearing penalties from
environmental offenses such as waste burning, digging and burying of
their waste instead of engaging a waste collection company to manage
their waste.
2. The entire exercise required consist supervision as the field team needed
reminding on how to sort
3. Data collecting process was time consuming and very exhausting
4. Some residents thought were Council workers penalizing those warned
not to burn or bury waste
5. Some areas had pits for waste dumping, making it difficult to sort waste
materials in confined spaces
6. Some residents complained of some waste collection companies not
collecting their waste on time and not collecting at all.
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Annexes
Annex 1: Photos
Sorting and weighing incoming waste being
dumped into the skip bin at Dambwa Central Market
Weighing waste
after sorting
Waste sorting at
Zest Bar/Restaurant
Waste sorting at
Limpos Pub & Grill
Sorting at Warm
Harbor Hotel
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Waste collection using
one-ton bags in town
Off loading waste at
the dumpsite for sorting
Weighing
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Sorting collected waste
at the dumpsite
Sorting waste dumped in a
pit in medium cost area
Sorting waste at Avani
hotel using sorting tables
Common heap of
waste sampled in town
10 | P a g e
Waste sorting in High
cost area of Airport
Waste segregation in Low
cost area of Namatama
Dumpsite separate
waste soring
Sorting inside the
one-ton bags
11 | P a g e
Weighing