Generation Rate and Physico-chemical Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in Fonko Town of Analemo District, Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Solid waste, which is a consequence of day-to-day activity of human kind, needs to be managed properly. The improper management of the MSW is a major cause for water, air and soil pollution. Municipal solid wastes (MSW) generations and characterization of its composition is essential for proper management of municipal solid waste in the study area. This study aims to determine generation rate and physico-chemical characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in Fonko Town. In present study, a cross sectional descriptive study design was used. The data for the study was collected through filed measurement, direct observation and by preparing questionnaires and through discussion together with the focus group. Daily MSW was separated in to its components and weight of each component was recorded. This has been conducted for 7 consecutive days to have better average per day MSW generation rate. The physicochemical properties of the wastes were analyzed based on the standard method. Survey was held through a randomly selected 133 households. The rates of daily waste generation of municipal solid waste were 0.197 kg/capita/day. The study revealed that by weight, the food wastes constituted the largest proportion of municipal solid waste (43.07%) followed by ash (16.9%), paper (15.5%), yard (10.23%), plastic (7.33%), glass (2.77%), metal (2.23%) and other (1.97%) wastes respectively. The physicochemical characterization of municipal solid wastes indicated that bulk density, moisture content, pH value, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and C:N of municipal waste sample were 369kg/m3 , 49.44%, 6.23, 1.58ds/m, 38.2%, 1.29%, 0.56%, 0.71% and 30:1% respectively. From the result of this study it can be concluded that, biodegradable (organic) solid waste constituted a lion share of the solid wastes generated in the town. Thus, the municipality can recover this waste by introducing an integrated urban agriculture that might convert this waste to organic fertilizer through composting for reducing solid waste disposal problems