Impacts of Solid Waste Management Practices on Environment and Public Health: A Case of Bahawalpur City, Pakistan
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2016
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Abstract
Safe and secure disposal of solid waste is now becoming a major issue for most of
developing countries with accelerating urbanization and increasing pressure of populations. A study
was conducted in Bahawalpur City; Pakistan. The main objective of the study was to investigate the
sources and impacts of solid waste management practices on the surrounding environment and public
health. This was achieved by specifically identifying the sources and types of solid waste in the city by
identifying the different solid waste management practices and their impacts on the environment and
human health. Data about solid waste generation, collection, disposal and their impacts on human
health and environment was collected in Model Town C using a structured questionnaire from 80
randomly sampled respondents as well as by field observations. Secondary data from institutional
records was also collected. Statistical analysis in the form of descriptive statistics and chi-square test
were applied to the data. It was found that the environment in study area was highly polluted with open
dumping of solid waste in open spaces and vacant plots. Households contributed the most solid waste
generation and open dumping. The solid waste generated at household level consisted of organic waste,
plastics and polythene bags. Institutionally, Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) and later
Bahawalpur Waste Management Company (BWMC) were found to be responsible for solid waste
management in the city but the overall situation is not satisfactory. The impacts of poor solid waste
management practices were found to be: land degradation, creation of breeding grounds for disease
carrying vectors such as mosquitoes, rats, rodents, decrease in land values; and different severe diseases.
Furthermore, it was found by statistical analysis, that there was a significant relationship between the
poor solid waste management practices and environmental and health problems faced by the
community
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Mohsin, M. and Chinyama, A., 2016. Impacts of solid waste management practices on environment and public health: A case of Bahawalpur city, Pakistan. Journal of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, 9(1), pp.69-79.