Waste Disposal; An Environmental Tragedy of the Future Commons, Kenya

Waste is an eternal burden and is a necessary evil, a tragedy of the commons in waiting. Waste production increase with increase in world global population resulting to serious environmental problems when poorly treated and disposed. Inevitable consequences of the practice of solid waste disposal in landfills are gas and leachate generation due primarily to microbial decomposition; climatic conditions refuse characteristics and land filling operations. The migration of gas and leachate away from the landfill boundaries and their release into the surrounding environment present serious environmental concerns at both existing and new facilities. The surface garbage disposal known as dumpsite method is risk to human population and other biodiversity. In Kenya, most of the wastes are left unattended hence is an environmental risk. Besides potential health hazards, these concerns include, and are not limited to, fires and explosions, vegetation damage, unpleasant odours, landfill settlement, ground water pollution, air pollution and global warming. This paper seeks to address the dangerous situation waste generation and its disposal methods present environmental disintegration and future loss of biodiversity. The objective of this research is to sound caution and find sustainable ways of disposing waste in Kenya. The information was obtained from various sources including visits to the disposal site observation and recording, interviews with key informers, desktop research, Archives, and county officials dealing with waste disposals. The results were discussed and recommendations made