1. Municipal Solid Waste Management in Growing Urban Areas in Africa; Current Production and Practices in Jimma, Ethiopia  MSW in developing countries includes: paper, kitchen waste, plastics, metals, textiles, rubber and glass.  In countries like USA it includes: food scraps and grass clippings to old sofas, tires, computers and refrigerators.  The high proportion of waste produced in developing countries is biodegradable which is similar to what is observed in Jimma.  MSW in developing countries includes: paper, kitchen waste, plastics, metals, textiles, rubber and glass.  In countries like USA it includes: food scraps and grass clippings to old sofas, tires, computers and refrigerators.  The high proportion of waste produced in developing countries is biodegradable which is similar to what is observed in Jimma. Tadesse Getahun 1,2, Embiale Mengistie 1,2, Alemayehu Haddis 1,2, Fantahun Wasie 1, Tafere Addis 1, Esayas Alemayehu 1, Amana Jemal 1, Desalegn Dadi 1, Tom Van Gerven 2, Bart Van der Bruggen 2 * (1)Jimma University Department of Environmental Health-P. O. Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia. tadesse.getahun@ju.edu.et, tel. +251 471116141 Mob. +251 917804089 (2)K. U. Leuven Department of Chemical Engineering, Division Applied Physical Chemistry and Environmental Technology, W. de Croylaan 46, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium. Bart.VanderBruggen@cit.kuleuven.be, (3) Tel. +32 16322726, Fax: +32 16322991. Tadesse Getahun 1,2, Embiale Mengistie 1,2, Alemayehu Haddis 1,2, Fantahun Wasie 1, Tafere Addis 1, Esayas Alemayehu 1, Amana Jemal 1, Desalegn Dadi 1, Tom Van Gerven 2, Bart Van der Bruggen 2 * (1)Jimma University Department of Environmental Health-P. O. Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia. tadesse.getahun@ju.edu.et, tel. +251 471116141 Mob. +251 917804089 (2)K. U. Leuven Department of Chemical Engineering, Division Applied Physical Chemistry and Environmental Technology, W. de Croylaan 46, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium. Bart.VanderBruggen@cit.kuleuven.be, (3) Tel. +32 16322726, Fax: +32 16322991. 1.To evaluate the quantity, composition, sources of the waste generated and their disposal practices 2.To present recommendations for sustainable management system. 1.To evaluate the quantity, composition, sources of the waste generated and their disposal practices 2.To present recommendations for sustainable management system.  WHO s/w data collection & analysis procedure was used.  Data were collected 3 times for a week at different Seasons.  Source, rate of generation, composition determined.  Lab. analysis for waste properties made  WHO s/w data collection & analysis procedure was used.  Data were collected 3 times for a week at different Seasons.  Source, rate of generation, composition determined.  Lab. analysis for waste properties made Result Fig.1: Family size and rate of waste generation in Jimma Type of solid waste Percentage by weight (total) Moisture content (% of total class) Moisture content (% of total) Organic content (% total class) Organic content (% of total) Biodegradable organic waste Vege./Putrescibles14.740.56.0 77.5 11.4 Paper4.45.50.2 87.5 3.9 Food stuff peelings12.072.38.6 82.1 9.9 Grass/leaves23.178.518.0 76.0 17.6 Total54.232.842.8 Fig.2: Educ. status of household & rate of waste generation in Jimma Fig.3: Rate of waste generation at different seasons in Jimma Introduction Objectives Materials and Methods In average, 87703 kg of S/W is generated per day of which only 25% is collected by Jimma municipality. 87% of the waste was produced by households, 13% by commercial and other institutions while a negligible fraction (0.1%) was generated by street sweepings. The rate of waste generation was observed to be 40% higher during the rainy season compared with the dry season because of the increased production of food peelings and vegetable/putrescibles. The biodegradable waste constitutes 54% by weight with an average moisture content of 60% which falls within the required limits for composting (Tiquia et al., 1997). Non-biodegradable organic and miscellaneous wastes are 34.4% and 11.4% respectively. Therefore, composting is the most recommendable management system in combination with other methods such as incineration, land filling, recycling and reuse. Municipal Solid Waste Management in Growing Urban Areas in Africa: Current Production and Practices in Jimma, Ethiopia Discussion and Conclusion Acknowledgement To: IUC –JU for funding the study Promoters: Prof. Van der Bruggen Prof. Tom Van Gerven