Solid waste management in the Jaffna Municipal Council area

Abstract

Increasing solid waste and it’s disposal activities strike environment and the public health. Authorities who are involved in solid waste management activities face many challenges. Internal displacement, modem facilities, changing lifestyle, high land values are the causes for the increase in solid waste in the Jaffna Municipal Council area. It is observed that the study area is the only place in the Jaffna Peninsula which has the waste generation and its effect. The main objective of this study is to find out the collection and handling methods of waste and it’s related problems. Both primary and secondary data have been obtained for this study . Waste production has been calculated by the Municipal Council area and there is 278m3 of solid waste per day. For the last two decades the administrative activities were slowed down due to the prevailed internal war, unstable administrative structure, economic embargo and lack of resources. It has been observed that the collected waste is handled without any proper treatment. As hospital and toilet waste are included in the above solid waste, it is threatening to the public health and environment conditions. Further more neither the waste prevention methods such as Reuse, Recycle and Reduce activities are adopted by the people nor has any legal action been taken in this regard. The lagoon wetland in the Southern border of the Jaffna Municipal Council has been selected to dispose and bum most of the solid waste. Thus, a land reclamation process is taking place in the above area and found to be a problem for those who live in neighboring area. Priority should be given to the solid waste management in the regional planning under the post war reconstruction and development projects. Implementing strick legal action, involving the public and private participation and adopting environmental friendly technology are essential for the successful implementation of the integrated solid waste management activities in the region.