Too Much Waste - Too little Space: Waste Management System in the Greater Banjul Area (GBA) of the Gambia, Challenges and Prospects.

Solid waste management is certainly one of the main challenges and as well attributed to the degrading urban environment quality in the Gambia and in most developing countries. This paper assesses the solid waste management system in the Greater Banjul Area (GBA) of The Gambia based on gathered reports. The GBA has per capita waste generation rate of 0.54 kg over a decade ago. Over the years, the responsibility of solid waste management and disposal particularly in the urban settings has been vested in the Local Government Authorities within their respective jurisdiction although a few private waste collectors exist. Significant challenges were discovered in addressing solid waste management which need to be addressed in the future and these include; inefficient environmental awareness on the 3Rs of waste management(reduction, reuse and recycling techniques), inadequate monitoring, low enforcement of waste related laws and regulations, ill-trained officers dealing with waste management, poor infrastructure and inefficient coordination among stakeholders. In addressing the above challenges will invariably boost both effectiveness and efficiency of the waste management system is pivotal as an emerging tourist destination country and is geared towards achieving the prime objective of a clean, healthy and beautiful environment for all to cherish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]