status of solid waste management in Gaza city and the dustmen' views: an environmental study

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the dustmen's opinion about collecting and moving of solid waste into the dump, the problems of waste management, and how to improve work in Gaza city and Al-Shati' Refugee Camp. So, a questionnaire of 87 open ended and non open ended items was designed and distributed among 230 dustmen in the summer of 2007. Results revealed that most of the residents put their waste in simple plastic bags which are always found torn out due to kids, rodents, dogs, and rubbish diggers. Therefore, dustmen prefer special plastic bags. In addition, results revealed that the municipality collects the waste found in front of houses for nearly 70% of Gaza population twice a day to once every two days, and that there are two methods of collecting and moving waste into the dump collecting from house to house, and collecting from garbage containers. Sometimes the two methods go together; however, the first is preferable. Furthermore, the study pointed out some problems that hinder the work of management because of workers, municipality, residents and waste containers. Moreover, results showed that workers refused privatizing the system of collecting the waste. Finally, the study recommends collecting waste from house to house as well as changing the existing methods into a new proposed one