EXAMINATION COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA
GEOGRAPHY FIELD PROJECT
TITLE OF THE REPORT:
TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACTS OF THE ILLEGAL SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
IN LIVINGSTONE TOWN .
BY :
NAME: MEMORY SOKO.
EXAMINATION NUMBER : 180406400074
CLASS : 12A.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................................................... 1
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 2
LITERATURE REVIEW...............................................................................................3
DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA................................................................................4
METHODOLOGY......................................................................................................4
REASEARCH FINDINGS.............................................................................................5
CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................6
RECCOMMENDATIONS...........................................................................................7
REFFERNCES............................................................................................................
RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................................................................
TITLE OF THE REPORT
TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACTS OF THE ILLEGAL SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
IN LIVINGSTONE TOWN
1.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, I would like to extend my gratitude and thanks to my supervisor at School for his
guidance and support throughout the process of this field report. Secondly, I am indebted to
thank my other family and parents for their support and financial assistance for me to carry
out this project successfully. Their efforts, love and prayers have significantly contributed to
this work.
May God bless them all!
1.2 DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to my mother, sister and my elder brothers for their tireless support
and daily prayers which made me to accomplish this work successfully.
1.3 INTRODUCTION
It is proved that solid waste disposal is a factor that contributes to the problem of
environmental degradation. Solid waste is the dumped waste that affects the environment in
several ways that can have negative impacts on the environment. Disposing of waste,
especially solid waste is important in the sense that if taken in consideration, it can prevent
environmental degradation. However, if not disposed in a good manner, solid waste results in
environmental hazardous parts of the environment. This research therefore was undertaken
from the 25th of November 2015 to the 27th of November 2015 in order to make an
assessment on the connection between solid waste disposal and environmental degradation in
selected parts of Livingstone city.
1.4 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Livingstone is known to have been an industrious town in the sense that it had a good number
of industries. It is said to have been named after the Scottish missionary, David Livingstone
who was believed to have been the first white man to set foot in the area long time ago.
1.5 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Despite the efforts used by the city council in controlling the effects of solid waste disposal,
there is need to see how this process of solid waste disposal and the amount of solid waste is
related or rather connected to environmental degradation. It is in this view that the researcher
carried out this study on the connection between solid waste disposal and the degradation of
the environment in the selected parts of the city.
1.6 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study intended to:
I.
II.
III.
Find out the types of solid waste in Livingstone city.
Find out the major sources of solid waste in Livingstone city.
Ascertain how solid waste is disposed in Livingstone city.
1.7 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 What are the types of solid waste in Livingstone city?
 What are the sources of solid waste in Livingstone city?
 What methods are used in disposing solid waste in Livingstone city?
1.8 RATIONALE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The main aim of carrying out this study was to make an assessment on the connection
between solid waste disposal and environmental degradation in some selected parts of the
city of Livingstone. This knowledge will make it easier for the council to have a platform on
which to sensitise the people on the dangers of solid waste disposal and its negative impacts
on the environment. It will further more also enable the council know the best and effective
ways of disposing solid waste in the city.
1.9 DEFINATIONS OF TERMS
Solid Waste: it is the unwanted materials that come out of households, lodges, hotels,
restaurants and also industries.
Environment: the surrounding area where people and animals live and in which several
activities are taking place.
Degradation: the reduction in the quality of something due to over use or misuse.
2.1 LITERATURE REVIEW
Alisinda, J.M. (1989) asserts that “the types of solid waste found in most cities are in
different forms which include such waste as household foods leftovers, metal and scrap, tin,
vegetative matter, among others.” Solid waste comes in many forms but there are major ones
which are visible to be seen around cities. If not disposed well the solid waste can be harmful
to the surroundings. Boojhawon (2009:39) adds that “disposal of waste at designated sites can
cause pollution of the environment; the air, the land and water inclusively.” This means that
waste disposal can destroy the environment in the sense that underground water is polluted as
the waste materials go down the grounds either in the process of leaching or any movement
of particles down the soil.
In addition, Leong (1989:78) stipulates that “landfills are filing up the areas and many have
run out of space for more dumping sites.” The waste that comes from both industries and
households is being discarded regularly and thus due to this the places where there is a lot of
dumping of waste are running out enough space to have more dumping sites that would
contribute to the environmental degradation. Since the city is a growing one, and since its
economical activities have increased, the disposal of waste has also increased. This has
caused troubles because the city council has been finding problems in managing the service
of disposing solid waste. Henning (2009:85) say that these solid waste burdens councils on
the generated antiquated solid waste collection and disposal systems utilised by the council.
The solid waste pollutes the environment by polluting the air for there is foul smell in the air
that is disgusting to the people and causes air bone diseases increasing in the city and the
surrounding communities. Solid waste also pollutes the land in the sense that the land where
there is solid waste disposed becomes bad for residential or any economical activity. No
crops can be grown on such land and it is bad even to look at resulting in having ugly
disgusting sights to look at. This land becomes so bad that it cannot be said to be of any use
thus this is more like wastage of land which mostly is virgin land.
Dumping site in the airport area.
3.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA
Livingstone lies at 17° 49° South and 25° 49° East and it is the headquarter of the southern
province of Zambia. It shares the border with Zimbabwe formerly southern Rhodesia.
Situated on the south central African high plateau and has a population of .
4.0 METHODOLOGY
In this study several ways or methods were used in the collection of data.The methods used in
the study includes:
a. Observations
b. Interviews
c. Questioners
4.1 OBSERVATIONAL METHOD
The study involved direct observation in which the study has to include the observation of the
phenomena being studies on. The researcher observed how solid waste is disposed in the city
and directly observed the connection between solid waste disposal and environmental
degradation.
4.2 INTERVIEWS
The researcher also utilised the chance of having interviews with the local people in the
community and the staff from the city council who provided sufficient information on the
study. They provided a platform for the researcher to have direct first hand information on the
connection between solid waste disposal and environmental degradation.
4.3 SAMPLING PROCEDURE
Purposeful or systematic sampling was used in this research. These included three staff
members from the Livingstone city council and a specialist in solid waste disposal from the
city council as well. Random sample was also used to interview the local people of Malamba
area where a dumping site is located. These provided information on the regularity of the
council in collecting garbage from the illegal dumping site.
4.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The study would a have been much successful in collecting data needed as it not been for the
problem of lack of enough time, time was limited that one dumping site was not visited, the
other challenge faced was that of financial resources. Had there been enough money the study
would have been better for some institutions couldn’t be reached or accessed such as the
environmental council headquarters.
5.0 RESEARCH FINDINGS AND ANNALYSIS
5.1 TYPES OF SOLID WASTE IN LIVINGSTONE
The research found out that there a number of types of solid waste but the authority named a
number of major types of solid waste. The major types of solid waste mentioned and
observed were:
I.
II.
Vegetative matter
Scrap metal
III.
Glass(bottles inclusive)
IV.
Paper
V.
Leftover food
5.2 SOURCES OF SOLID WASTE IN LIVINGSTONE
The sources of solid waste in the city of Livingstone range from one source to another. The
research found out that there are three major sources of solid waste in the city. The following
were the sources of solid waste in Livingstone city as found out from the study.
I.
Households;
Solid waste such as leftover foods, shopping paper and plastics
II.
Business ventures;
Restaurants, lodges, guest houses, offices, market places etc.
III.
Industries;
Garages, companies, manufactures etc.
5.3 METHODS USED IN SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL
The study established a number of methods in which the council disposes solid waste from
the city. The city council staff interviews reviewed that the council uses several ways of solid
waste disposal. However it did mention that there are some effective ways of disposing solid
waste that the council uses. The following were the methods pointed out to be the effective
ways of disposing solid waste:
I.
Compactor trucks called Leers
The council uses compactor trucks in collecting solid waste from the temporally dumping
sites to the main dumping site. The council, using these trucks are now be able to collect
dumped solid waste once every week thus preventing the over dumping of some sites.
II.
Dumping sites
The solid waste in the city is also disposed in the way that the council has come up with
dumping sites that are used in the permanent disposing of the solid waste as seen in the two
dumping sites used. Livingstone has one central dumping site that is co run with sun hotel
located within the perimeters of the city of about 2km from the city and of about 100 meters
from the residential areas as pointed out by the environmental specialist. Other dumping sites
are situated within the communities which the city council helps in collecting garbage once
every week to the dumping site that has impermeable cells that prevents the waste from
reaching the underground water whilst still in the state of waste. There is also an illegal
dumping site in the community that the city council has failed to control due over use by both
the
residents
and
the
An illegal dumping site situated in the community
business
venture.
The people in this community said the council does not collect garbage in time and denied the
council’s statement that they collect garbage once in a week saying it takes about a month
before the council collects the garbage, it it is a challenge to the residents for the claimed
their children are in danger of contracting air bone diseases especially disease like cholera
which results out of dirty being left stagnant. The waste also when not collected increases the
spread of the malaria parasite as the remains of the waste blocks the drainage system thus
giving space for the mosquitoes to bleed and in the end causing malaria on the community a
big problem. The locals also confirmed that indeed the waste on such places makes it hard for
them to grow any crops especially those nearby the sites.
III.
Dumping zones
Dumping zones have been created in the city and these allow the council in managing the
service of garbage collection. The staff from the city council said that the district has been
divided in zones whereby a zone has garbage collecting crews headed by foremen who are
the same as supervisors coordinating the service.
6.0 CONCLUSION
Solid waste disposal has a justifiable connection with environmental degradation as found out
in the research. The degrading of the environment by various factors such as solid waste
disposal is a big and hazardous phenomenon that has been observed to result in negative
impacts on the environment. Disposing solid waste is important in the sense that if taken in
consideration, it can prevent environmental degradation.
6.1 RECOMMENDATIONS
It has been discovered that solid waste disposal is connected to environmental degradation, a
number of suggestions have been given that can help min mitigating the problem of
environmental degradation through good control of methods of solid waste disposal.
The government should come up with strategies such provision of more trucks to help in the
collection of garbage from community and town dumping areas for permanent disposal in the
allocated dumping sites. The community should be sensitised on the dangers of
environmental degradation. The local people should be made responsible for any dubious
waste of waste so as to help in the fight against the problem.
APPENDIX
MAP OF LIVINGSTONE CITY
REFERENCES
Alisinda, J.M. (1989). Junior Secondary School Geography. Weather, Africa and World
Natural Regions. Ndola: Times Printpack.
Leong, G.C (1989). Certificate Physical and Human Geography 3rd ed. Oxford University
Press: New York.
Goorah, S., Esmyot, M., Boojhawon, R. (2009). The Health Impact of Nonhazardous Solid
Waste Disposal in a Community: The case of the Mare Chicose Landfill in Mauritius.
Journal of Environment Health, 72(1) 48-54
Dernbach H, Henning KD. (2009) Purification steps for landfill gas utilization in
cogeneration modules. Resource Conserv 1987;14:273– 82.