10.2.1  Indiscriminate waste disposal

This is the most unwanted and dangerous practice in solid waste management. It occurs when an individual leaves waste by the roadside, on a piece of disused land, in a field, by the side of a riverbank or in a river (Figure 10.1). This practice is very common in urban areas in Ethiopia and is also known as open dumping.

Figure 10.1  Open dumping on the banks of a river.

  • Why do we discourage open dumping?

  • Open dumping is discouraged for a number of reasons. It:

    • attracts flies, rodents and birds
      • flies contaminate our food, causing food-borne illnesses
      • rodents can transmit a range of diseases and can damage property
      • birds disperse pathogens in their faeces
    • is unsightly and causes bad odours
    • allows waste, especially paper and plastic bags, to be blown around by wind
    • causes fire hazards
    • is a hazard for grazing animals
    • can block rivers and drains, causing flooding.

10.2  Landfills

10.2.2  Communal open dumping