Increasingly, sustainable waste management has emerged as a major concern both in terms of environmental protection and sustainable management of urban spaces. Over the years, it has been observed that, the volume of waste generated in urban spaces in Cameroon far exceeds the capacity of local councils to manage. Mfoundi council, like the majority councils in Cameroon, has outsourced the collection and disposal of solid waste to the private waste collection company. However, decline in waste collection rates, rising cost associated with solid waste retrieval and disposal; continue to exacerbate the challenge local councils experience with regards to urban waste disposal and management. From the foregoing, this study seeks to critically examine the sustainability of the policy, and practices of Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) systems adopted in the Mfoundi Division. This study adopted a hybrid of qualitative and quantitative approaches using questionnaires, interviews and focused group discussion as main instruments of data collection. The non-probability purposive sampling was used due to time and cost constraints The findings of this study revealed that, the council waste management approach does not meet the demands of the population. Poor collection and transportation facilities, insufficient waste collection frequency, low levels of household awareness of good solid waste management practices; lack of awareness on waste reuse and recycling are some of the major challenges identified by the study. Thus, people have been left with little or no choice but to dump waste in open spaces, water bodies, drainage channels, deposit along roadsides and streets. The study recommends the following, adopting a community participative approach for efficient waste management, introduction of a waste reuse; recycling and reduction plan, intensive sensitization to educate the population on proper waste management practices (waste separation) via mass campaigns, finally the state should compel brewery and water companies to put in place an avenue to collect the plastic bottles sold to the population.
Mfoundi Division, Yaoundé, local governance, urban waste management
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