BACKGROUND

Dar es salaam is the country̛ s largest industrial and commercial center with an estimated
population of more than 6 million in 2019 and population growth rate of 4.39% through the year.
More than seventy percent of the population live in unplanned and underserviced areas of the
city. Dar es salaam municipal government is composed with municipal councils such as Temeke,
Ilala, Kinondoni and Ubungo.
Waste Quantities and Composition
It has been estimated by DLAs (Dar es salaam Local Authority) that approximately 726 tons per
day of solid waste were generated in DSM, at which 592 tons of solid waste generated per day
are collected by private contractors and 134 tons of waste produced per day is recycled. This was
represented based on population of 6 million. Using a population growth rate and a
generation rate of 0.815 kg/cap/day, Environmental Resources Consultancy(ERC) has estimated
that DSM could be generating over 12000 tonnes per day by 2025.
The DLAs has also estimated that less than 40% of the total waste generated in the city are
collected and disposed of in the Pugu dump site or otherwise recovered. The remaining wastes
are either dumped by road side or into drainage canals contributing to health problems for local
residents, annual flooding events and methane generation.
The current solid waste generation rate is estimated to be about 0.8 kg/day per household which
is higher than typical values for developing countries which range from 0.4 to 0.6 kg/day per
household.

SOLID WASTE AMOUNT GENERATED AND COLLECTED (tons/day)

Municipality Amount generated Amount collected %
(ton) (ton)
Ilala 1106 430 39

Temeke 1035 280 27

Kinondoni 2026 823 41

Total 4161 1533 37

Waste Collection and Transportation
A reliable municipal solid waste collection and transportation system is a cornerstone for good
quality waste management services. With vehicles capital costs around US dollar 100000 and
collection operating costs approaching 50% of overall municipal budget. An efficient and cost
effective collective and transportation system has to be a principle focus of solid waste
management planning.
In more affluent, planned areas of the city, waste is generally collected at curbide from
households, commercial establishments, institutions and industry by either the DLAs or the
private sector and taken directly to the Pugu dump. Where access by collection vehicle is
impractical, collected wastes from these areas are taken initially to neighborhood collection site
by handcart for bulking and informal resource recovery before transportation to Pugu.

In planned and unplanned areas of the city where the populations are less affluent and the
neighbourhoods more congested, waste is picked up by handcart for delivery to neighbourhood
collection sites or taken directly to these sites by householders. The DLAs or the private sector
subsequently pick up the accumulated waste from the neighbourhood collection sites for
transportation to Pugu.
In unplanned areas of the city where wards or CBOs have not taken the initiative to collect waste
or in areas of the city where collection service is poor, individuals commonly dump their waste
into drainage ditches, streams and by the roadside. This has been estimated to total upwards of
60% of the overall waste stream.
Industry and commercial establishments are responsible for managing their solid wastes using
private sector solid waste collection contractors. The DLAs to contract directly with the private
sector to deliver services to these institutions on the DLAs behalf.
Monthly household fee on mostly municipal areas ranges from 2,000Tsh-30,000Tsh depending
on some areas. The fees range as a direct function of affluence and serve to subsidize less
affluent and unplanned areas. Fees are collected by special revenue collectors working on behalf
of the waste collectors, through which wastes are directed to Pugu landfill.
One of the biggest difficulties in establishing an effective and efficient waste management
collection and transportation system in DSM is the travel time from the points of collection to the
Pugu dump site. Depending on the time of the day, it can take up to two hours for a return trip to
certain points in the city.
The DLAs have placed a priority on the establishment of one or more transfer facilities to bulk
the wastes before transportation to the dump site. If the site had sufficient surge capacity, the
bulk transportation could take place in the evening hours when traffic is much lighter.
Existing Disposal Sites
In DSM the authorized site for the receipt of solid non-hazardous waste is Pugu dump site. The
site is operated as an open dump with wastes scattered across the 65 hectares. No cover material
was being applied as a daily or even monthly basis. Compaction was limited. Open fire was
burning across the site.
Due to the weather condition being changing over period of time all-weathered road has been
constructed to the site, the private sector has noted that is common for their vehicles become
stuck at the sites after rain events.
It was also noted that the site is on the flight path of the DSM international airport. Based on
satellite mapping, it appears that the site is just outside the 8km minimum allowable distance
measured from the end of the runway on the site boundary. It was verified by the airport
authorized notified.
All in all it was originally intended to be designed and operated as a sanitary landfill meeting
international norms, according to the Environment Impact Assessment prepared for the site in
2004 by ERC, the site should meet the following basic requirements
 Formal cell development
 Leachate management
 Landfill gas management
 Fenced with gate
 Daily records of the volume, type and source of waste
 A plan for waste pickers
None of these most basic requirements are being met at present since the site is operated as an
open dump with wastes scattered across the 65 hectares.

Closed dumps
There are various closed dump sites across the cities that has been operated by DLAs in the past
30 years. This list does not include the dozens of smaller, informal dumping sites used by area by
area residents in unplanned areas. One of the site (mtoni) found in Temeke district has already
been equipped with methane collection and flouring system. The following is the table that
summarize the closed site used for waste dumping.
Landfill Years in operation Comments
Tabata Ward (ilala)  Operated for approximately 25
Closed in 1992 years
 Continuity leachate flows to area
watercourse
 Unknown risks to residents

Vingunguti (ilala)  Small site- approximately 6

Operated from hectares
1992 to 2001

Mtoni (temeke)  Located adjacent to harbor

Operated from  Gas collection and flaring in
2001 to 2008 place

Kigogo (ilala/kinondoni  Adjacent to flood plain

border) Operated from  Wastes continue to be dumped
2008 to 2010 at the site
 Limited cover material
 Continuity leachate flows to area
watercourse

Pugu (ilala)  65 hectares

Operating since  Currently in operation
2009  Limited cover materials
 Wastes scattered across the
approved site area
 Open burning