Assessing Potential and Characterizatio n ofSolid Waste of Jimma Town

Abstract

This research was conducted in Jimma town on randomly selected 120 households that are estimated to represent all classes of income levels; low, middle and high. Daily waste generations from those households were collected and separated into its components; weight and volume of each component were recorded. This has been conducted for nine consecutive days to determine the average daily household waste generation rate and per capital daily generation rate. The study showed that solid waste generation rate has direct relationship with level of family’s income. The findings of this study showed that low, middle and high-income level households (HH) generate 0.563kg/HH/day, 0.661kg/HH/day and 0.801kg/HH/ day, respectively; and on average, a household generates 0.775kg/HH/day. Similarly, generation per capital per day from low, middle and highincome level was 0.129kg/cap/day, 0.136 kg/cap/day and 0.149kg/cap/day, respectively, and average of 0.143kg/cap/day. The daily, weekly, monthly and yearly solid waste generation rate of Jimma town was estimated to be 22.74, 159.17, 682.15 and 8,299.47 tons respectively. Results of experimental analysis of waste compositions showed high contents of food waste (36.03%) followed by miscellaneous waste (35.67%) and yard waste (17.87%). The result of the proximate analysis showed high moisture content and this directly related to the trend of high consumption of kitchen waste, fresh vegetables and fruits. And this ultimately lowers the calorific value of the material 3213.36 Btu/lb (7497.84KJ/Kg).