Browsing by Author "Niyobuhungiro, Rissa"

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    A disposable diaper collection project in Langa, Cape Town, South Africa: a pilot study
    (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2024) Schenck, Catherina; Grobler, Lizette; Niyobuhungiro, Rissa; Kimani, Alexander
    In developing countries, there is currently no established waste management plan that includes resource recovery from used disposable diapers (DDs) apart from incineration and landfilling. In low-income areas with limited storage space, the complex composition and odour of used DDs make it impossible to manage properly if not supported by effective waste management systems. In the absence of effective waste management, DDs are dumped in open spaces, burned or buried. These actions pose threats to the safety and health of humans, animals and the environment. Separation and collection of DDs are critical preliminary steps to landfilling, recycling or beneficiation. In this article, we describe a case study of two pilot collection projects in Langa township in Cape Town, South Africa, to determine whether and how a source-separated collection system can work in low-income, resource-constrained areas. The lessons learned highlighted the following: The eagerness of parents to participate for the benefit of their own and their children’s health; the complementarity of the two pilot collection models to serve the needs of the community; the important role non-government organisations play in the implementation of waste management projects; the significance of the possible job creation opportunities and the unintended benefits of enhancing social cohesion. The financial sustainability of these projects needs further exploration.
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    Exploring on- and off-site waste management practices of informal dwellers in South Africa
    (Routledge, 2025) Schenck, Catherina; Niyobuhungiro, Rissa; Fletcher, Lizelle
    Household waste is a major contributor to environmental pollution and health issues. This article explores waste management practices at the household level in low-income informal housing areas in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. The data collection consisted of a waste baseline assessment of household waste management and mapping and analysing illegal dumping spots in the immediate vicinity of the informal areas. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 29. None of the municipalities in the study provides outside bins to households in informal areas. Approximately eighty-four percent (83.8%) of households in the study area receive some form of refuse removal, but illegal dumping was found in all areas. The results show that weekly collection of waste is not sufficient due to the limited space available to informal dwellers. Engagement with communities is important to collaboratively co-design locally appropriate ways of managing waste.