Social aspects in the pathway towards the closure of a dumpsite: the case of Ngong (Kenya)

Abstract

Dumpsites are a common way for waste disposal around the world. Since their impact is not controlled, they represent a threat to the public health and to the environment, being a source of pollutants and greenhouse gases. The dumpsite of Ngong (Kajiado County, Kenya) has been addressed since years as a serious issue affecting the surrounding community. A project for its closure and the establishment of a new facility for waste treatment was elaborated in 2017, and recently the conversion of the dumpsite in a park has been proposed by the local authorities. Nonetheless, the framework appears still complex from the environmental, economic and social points of view: any intervention is expected to raise challenges for the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) system in place, which involves many stakeholders, including informal workers of the dumpsite. After presenting a general overview on the MSWM system in place at the time, this paper presents the results of the social assessment (SA) carried out in 2018, where some of the criticalities encountered by the local authorities at a later time were already predicted. In the opinion of the authors, the importance of qualitative and sociological research within a technological project is highlighted by the results of the SA, and the shared methodology can be helpful for practitioners on the field, whose support will enhance the capacity of stakeholders to deal successfully with challenges related to waste management.

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