IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jwaste/v1y2023i3p36-630d1186707.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Urban Governance of Household Waste and Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study from Yaoundé (Cameroon)

Author

Listed:
  • Salifou Ndam

    (School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland)

  • Alirou Fit Touikoue

    (Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé P.O. Box 755, Cameroon)

  • Jérôme Chenal

    (School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland)

  • Jean-Claude Baraka Munyaka

    (School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland)

  • Armel Kemajou

    (School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland)

  • Abdou Kouomoun

    (Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé P.O. Box 755, Cameroon)

Abstract

More and more cities in Southern Africa are struggling to manage their waste in a context of rapid urbanisation and increasing poverty. In the Cameroon’s largest city, Yaoundé, managing household waste is a growing concern. The public and the authorities cast blame on each other, and the actions taken by each party far from guarantee an efficient management of household waste, which litters the streets. Considering the above, this paper analyses the socio-political practices of stakeholders and their influence on household waste management in Yaoundé. Based on a qualitative survey that combined both a literature review and interviews, the research analysed the challenges related to household waste management with regard to the economy, the environment, and public health. In addition, a cartographic survey using KoboToolbox was conducted in all seven municipalities to analyse the geographical distribution of the waste areas, their size, and their status within the city organizational framework. In total, 264 waste dumps were collected, of which 110 were formal waste using a waste bin of varying size. Social constructivism, stakeholder theory, and strategic analysis were mobilized to analyse the urban waste governance in Yaoundé. Thus, the poor quality of household waste management in Yaoundé was explained using political, economic, sociocultural, and environmental parameters. The social practices and dynamics of the stakeholders generate undesirable consequences that hinder the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By combining social science and engineering methods, this research aims to demonstrate that the shortcomings of waste governance in Yaoundé are both a collective (authorities/public powers) and individual (citizens) matter.

Suggested Citation

  • Salifou Ndam & Alirou Fit Touikoue & Jérôme Chenal & Jean-Claude Baraka Munyaka & Armel Kemajou & Abdou Kouomoun, 2023. "Urban Governance of Household Waste and Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study from Yaoundé (Cameroon)," Waste, MDPI, vol. 1(3), pages 1-19, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jwaste:v:1:y:2023:i:3:p:36-630:d:1186707
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/1/3/36/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/1/3/36/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Scarlat, N. & Motola, V. & Dallemand, J.F. & Monforti-Ferrario, F. & Mofor, Linus, 2015. "Evaluation of energy potential of Municipal Solid Waste from African urban areas," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1269-1286.
    2. Muyiwa Lawrence Adedara & Ridwan Taiwo & Hans-Rudolf Bork, 2023. "Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Coverage Rates in Sub-Saharan African Countries: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," Waste, MDPI, vol. 1(2), pages 1-25, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Muyiwa Lawrence Adedara & Ridwan Taiwo & Hans-Rudolf Bork, 2023. "Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Coverage Rates in Sub-Saharan African Countries: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," Waste, MDPI, vol. 1(2), pages 1-25, April.
    2. Rajaeifar, Mohammad Ali & Sadeghzadeh Hemayati, Saeed & Tabatabaei, Meisam & Aghbashlo, Mortaza & Mahmoudi, Seyed Bagher, 2019. "A review on beet sugar industry with a focus on implementation of waste-to-energy strategy for power supply," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 423-442.
    3. Makarichi, Luke & Jutidamrongphan, Warangkana & Techato, Kua-anan, 2018. "The evolution of waste-to-energy incineration: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 812-821.
    4. Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar & Sarsaiya, Surendra & Wainaina, Steven & Rajendran, Karthik & Kumar, Sumit & Quan, Wang & Duan, Yumin & Awasthi, Sanjeev Kumar & Chen, Hongyu & Pandey, Ashok & Zhang, Zengqiang , 2019. "A critical review of organic manure biorefinery models toward sustainable circular bioeconomy: Technological challenges, advancements, innovations, and future perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 115-131.
    5. Koppiahraj Karuppiah & Bathrinath Sankaranarayanan & Syed Mithun Ali, 2023. "Towards Sustainability: Mapping Interrelationships among Barriers to Circular Bio-Economy in the Indian Leather Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-26, March.
    6. Ogunjuyigbe, A.S.O. & Ayodele, T.R. & Alao, M.A., 2017. "Electricity generation from municipal solid waste in some selected cities of Nigeria: An assessment of feasibility, potential and technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 149-162.
    7. Rajaeifar, Mohammad Ali & Ghanavati, Hossein & Dashti, Behrouz B. & Heijungs, Reinout & Aghbashlo, Mortaza & Tabatabaei, Meisam, 2017. "Electricity generation and GHG emission reduction potentials through different municipal solid waste management technologies: A comparative review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 414-439.
    8. Di Maria, Francesco & Sisani, Federico & Norouzi, Omid & Mersky, Ronald L., 2019. "The effectiveness of anaerobic digestion of bio-waste in replacing primary energies: An EU28 case study," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 347-354.
    9. Kumar, Aman & Singh, Ekta & Mishra, Rahul & Lo, Shang Lien & Kumar, Sunil, 2023. "Global trends in municipal solid waste treatment technologies through the lens of sustainable energy development opportunity," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    10. Soltanian, Salman & Kalogirou, Soteris A. & Ranjbari, Meisam & Amiri, Hamid & Mahian, Omid & Khoshnevisan, Benyamin & Jafary, Tahereh & Nizami, Abdul-Sattar & Gupta, Vijai Kumar & Aghaei, Siavash & Pe, 2022. "Exergetic sustainability analysis of municipal solid waste treatment systems: A systematic critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    11. Ihsanullah Sohoo & Marco Ritzkowski & Zubair Ahmed Sohu & Senem Önen Cinar & Zhi Kai Chong & Kerstin Kuchta, 2021. "Estimation of Methane Production and Electrical Energy Generation from Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Sites in Pakistan," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-17, April.
    12. Mensah, Theophilus Nii Odai & Oyewo, Ayobami Solomon & Breyer, Christian, 2021. "The role of biomass in sub-Saharan Africa’s fully renewable power sector – The case of Ghana," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 297-317.
    13. Antonio Barragán-Escandón & Jonathan Miguel Olmedo Ruiz & Jonnathan David Curillo Tigre & Esteban F. Zalamea-León, 2020. "Assessment of Power Generation Using Biogas from Landfills in an Equatorial Tropical Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-18, March.
    14. Johanes Widijantoro & Yuni Windarti, 2019. "Fostering Clean and Healthy Energy in Rural Communities: Lessons from the Indonesia Clean Stove Initiative Pilot Program," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(1), pages 107-114.
    15. Ishtiaq Ahmed & Muhammad Anjum Zia & Huma Afzal & Shaheez Ahmed & Muhammad Ahmad & Zain Akram & Farooq Sher & Hafiz M. N. Iqbal, 2021. "Socio-Economic and Environmental Impacts of Biomass Valorisation: A Strategic Drive for Sustainable Bioeconomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-32, April.
    16. Siwal, Samarjeet Singh & Zhang, Qibo & Devi, Nishu & Saini, Adesh Kumar & Saini, Vipin & Pareek, Bhawna & Gaidukovs, Sergejs & Thakur, Vijay Kumar, 2021. "Recovery processes of sustainable energy using different biomass and wastes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    17. Mboumboue, Edouard & Njomo, Donatien, 2016. "Potential contribution of renewables to the improvement of living conditions of poor rural households in developing countries: Cameroon׳s case study," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 266-279.
    18. Islam, K.M. Nazmul, 2018. "Municipal solid waste to energy generation: An approach for enhancing climate co-benefits in the urban areas of Bangladesh," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 2472-2486.
    19. Valdivia, Miguel & Galan, Jose Luis & Laffarga, Joaquina & Ramos, Juan-Luis, 2020. "A research and technology valuation model for decision analysis in the environmental and renewable energy sectors," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    20. Anna Rolewicz-Kalińska & Anna Oniszk-Popławska & Judyta Wesołowska & Elżbieta D. Ryńska, 2016. "Conditions for the development of anaerobic digestion technologies using the organic fraction of municipal solid waste: perspectives for Poland," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 18(5), pages 1279-1296, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jwaste:v:1:y:2023:i:3:p:36-630:d:1186707. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.