District Assemblies (MMDAs) deliver waste management services mainly through the Environmental Health and Sanitation Department, in collaboration with private service providers.

1. Solid Waste Management

  • House-to-house and communal waste collection

  • Provision and maintenance of refuse containers and skips

  • Transportation of waste to approved disposal sites

  • Operation and management of landfill sites and dumps

  • Street sweeping and public cleansing

2. Liquid Waste Management

  • Management of public toilets

  • Regulation and desludging of septic tanks and cesspits

  • Control of wastewater disposal

  • Maintenance of drainage systems to prevent flooding

3. Environmental Health Enforcement

  • Inspection of premises to ensure sanitation compliance

  • Enforcement of sanitation by-laws

  • Prosecution of sanitation-related offences

  • Abatement of nuisance and unsanitary conditions

4. Sanitation Education and Behaviour Change

  • Public education on proper waste disposal

  • Community sensitisation on hygiene and environmental cleanliness

  • Promotion of waste segregation and recycling (where applicable)

5. Regulation and Supervision of Service Providers

  • Contracting and monitoring private waste management companies

  • Licensing of waste collectors and operators

  • Ensuring service quality and compliance with environmental standards

6. Special Waste Management

  • Management of market waste, abattoir waste, and lorry park waste

  • Control of medical and hazardous waste (in collaboration with health authorities)

Importance of Waste Management Services

  • Prevents the spread of communicable diseases

  • Protects water bodies and the environment

  • Improves urban aesthetics and livability

  • Supports sustainable development

Legal and Policy Framework

Waste management services at the district level are guided by:

  • Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936)

  • Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1994 (Act 490)

  • Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851)

  • Environmental Health and Sanitation Policy (EHSP)