No Time to Waste: Improving Waste Management in African Cities – Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

Report on Solid Waste Management in African Cities and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

The Critical Role of SWM in Urban Sustainability

Solid Waste Management (SWM) is a foundational public utility service essential for achieving multiple sustainability outcomes. In the context of African cities, characterized by rapid urbanization, dense informal settlements, and high unemployment, effective SWM presents a significant opportunity to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its proper implementation yields clear benefits for public health and livelihoods, while its neglect poses serious risks to human and environmental well-being.

Contribution of SWM to Key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) & SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Proper waste management is fundamental to ensuring healthy lives and sanitation for all by preventing the spread of disease and contamination of water resources.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The development of formal SWM systems creates sustainable employment opportunities in collection, sorting, and recycling, contributing to economic growth.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): SWM is a core component of making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, particularly by providing essential services to informal settlements.
• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): Effective SWM facilitates circular economy models, promoting waste reduction, recycling, and reuse.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): Remediating unmanaged dumpsites and implementing controlled landfill practices significantly reduces methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Achieving equitable service coverage ensures that marginalized and underserved communities benefit from a clean and healthy environment.

Strategic Recommendations for SDG Achievement

To leverage SWM for sustainable development, this report puts forth the following strategic recommendations:

1. Regain Control of Foundational Infrastructure: Municipal authorities must prioritize gaining control over waste management infrastructure, with a specific focus on addressing unmanaged dumpsites to meet targets under SDG 11 and SDG 13.
2. Prioritize Landfill Remediation: The adoption of modern landfill remediation tools and approaches is critical to mitigate the environmental and climate impacts of legacy waste, directly supporting SDG 13.
3. Enhance Service Coverage and Equity: Cities must improve and adopt efficient, lower-cost, and iterative waste collection and transfer systems to achieve more equitable and sustainable service coverage, in line with the principles of SDG 10 and SDG 11.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article on Solid Waste Management (SWM) in African cities directly and indirectly addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary focus on urban services, public health, and environmental management connects to the following goals:

   • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article explicitly states that SWM has “clear benefits for public health, sanitation… and serious consequences when neglected.”
   • SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: Proper waste management is fundamental to sanitation and preventing the pollution of water resources, a key aspect of this goal. The article mentions “sanitation” and the need to manage “unmanaged dumpsites” which are major sources of water and soil pollution.
   • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The text highlights SWM’s connection to “livelihoods” and its importance in cities with “high rates of unemployment,” suggesting that improved SWM systems can be a source of job creation.
   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: This is the most central SDG, as the article focuses on SWM as an “essential and foundational public utility service” within the context of “African cities,” “rapid urbanisation,” and “dense informal settlements.”
   • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: While not a primary focus, the principles of managing waste through “efficient, lower cost and iterative waste collection and transfer systems” are foundational steps toward sustainable waste management, which includes reduction, recycling, and reuse.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the issues discussed, the following specific SDG targets are relevant:

   • Target 11.6: By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The article’s entire focus on improving SWM, remediating landfills, and implementing efficient waste collection systems in cities directly aligns with this target.
   • Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The call to manage dumpsites and improve sanitation directly addresses the root causes of pollution-related health problems mentioned in this target.
   • Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials… The recommendation for cities to “regain control of foundational infrastructure, particularly unmanaged dumpsites” is a direct strategy to achieve this target by preventing waste from contaminating water sources.
   • Target 8.3: Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation… The article’s mention of “livelihoods” in the context of SWM points to the potential for creating jobs in waste collection, sorting, and recycling, which supports this target.
   • Target 12.5: By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. The call to adopt “efficient… waste collection and transfer systems” is a critical prerequisite for establishing effective recycling and waste reduction programs that contribute to this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress, even if it does not name them explicitly by their official SDG indicator codes:

   • Implied Indicator for Target 11.6: The call for “more equitable and sustainable service coverage” and improved “waste collection” directly relates to Indicator 11.6.1 (Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal waste generated, by cities). Progress would be measured by an increase in the percentage of waste that is properly collected and a decrease in the number of “unmanaged dumpsites.”
   • Implied Indicator for Target 3.9: The reference to “public health” benefits implies that a key measure of success would be a reduction in the incidence of diseases associated with poor waste management and sanitation (e.g., cholera, diarrheal diseases, respiratory infections from burning waste).
   • Implied Indicator for Target 8.3: The connection made between SWM, “livelihoods,” and “high rates of unemployment” implies that an indicator of progress would be the number of formal and informal jobs created in the waste management sector.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Summary

Source: ccacoalition.org