Paper short abstract:

This paper explores factors that drive and facilitate waste management practices in Jinja municipal council in Uganda. Industrial wastes have greatly depleted River Nile where waters are turning green. The capacity of the JMC to establish the tonnage of waste collected per day is examined.

Paper long abstract:

Background: Proper waste management as a preventive measure against diarrhoeal diseases has not been addressed. The study seeks to establish factors that drive and facilitate waste management in JMC.

Methods: The study used a sample of 400 respondents. FGD sessions were held between vendors and restaurant attendants, in-depth interviews with apartment dwellers and industrial workers, key informant interviews with local leaders and JMC officials. Structured observations were conducted to expose restaurant attendants and vendors' waste disposal behaviour within their localities.

Results: JMC generates 149 tonnes of solid waste per day and is only able to collect 40%-60% of the total waste generated hence leaving 59 tonnes uncollected. Among respondents interviewed, 60% disposed of their waste anyhow while 35% used waste bins. 12% expressed ignorance of proper disposal channels. Findings further showed that barriers ranged from physical (distance to the bins), biological (fatigue due to the frequency of disposal rounds), cognitive (ignorance and cultural beliefs) and socio-economic (impoverished people perceive proper waste management through private collection firms to be costly, politics compromises the work of health assistants and lastly attitude to urban authorities). Disgust, comfort and safety were observed as the best motivators for proper waste management. Disgust referred to dirt, contamination and stench while comfort referred how Individuals feel when their localities are free of garbage. Safety refers to avoidance of diseases induced by poor waste management.

Conclusion: Industrial wastes have greatly depleted the source of River Nile where waters are dwindling and turning green.

Key words: Factors, Waste, Management