Household Solid Waste Management in Safita City Using Geographic Information Systems

Abstract

Household solid waste disposal is one of the most prominent problems raised at the level of contemporary environmental problems. As a result of the rapid population growth and the associated change in lifestyles and methods, which has increased the quantity and quality of waste produced, especially in cities, there has become a very urgent need to follow technical methods in managing urban solid waste, especially household waste, at all its stages to preserve human health and protect the environment from pollution. Safita city was taken as a model for this study due to its suffering from the phenomenon of the spread of household solid waste in a way that attracts attention through the health threats and environmental hazards that threaten it. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the quantity of household solid waste and the administrative and technical aspects of its collection methods. It also aimed to analyze the current spatial distribution of waste collection containers in Safita city neighborhoods, and to better plan the location of containers in a manner that is compatible with the number of residents and the quantity of waste produced, using geographic information systems technology. The study concluded that the number of containers is not sufficient and that their spatial distribution is not commensurate with the quantity of waste produced in some neighborhoods. The study recommended working on distributing containers in a balanced manner that is compatible with the amount of waste produced in each region. It also recommended the necessity of introducing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology into solid waste management in all its aspects and stages, and qualifying human resources to become capable of dealing with modern technologies and preparing strategic plans that represent a comprehensive database on scientific foundations.