The main collection
system available to municipal refuse is contractual system supervised by
the local council. The interval of
collection from residential areas should
be on regular basis at least twice a week and daily collection for commercial
areas. This is the most expensive phase of
waste or refuse management because, it
requires several vehicles,
drivers, labourers and other
logistics.
These men (refuse crew) need to
be trained on the proper way of
handing refuse, the health
hazards involved, they should be
provided with protective gadgets such as
face mask, boot, headgear, gloves and
overall. They should be given periodic medical checkups. The special refuse
vehicle should be water tight and have a suitable cover (APWA, 2006)
Open tippers if
used should not be overfilled and should be covered with trampoline. Whatever
the type of vehicle used, it should
preferably have, trapping gears for mechanical unloading and collapsible sides
when the
tripping gear is faulty, should have sitting spaces for the labourers because, it is not hygienic
for men to sit on
refuse, it should have spare part
and be easy to maintain (Oluwande, 2003)
The problem associated with refuse coloelction
include irregular interval of collection
especially at the area dumping sites, open tipper used causes littering of the environment from
one street to the other, some of
the roads are not motorable and there
are no provision for wheel barrows to carry refuse to the vehicle. Also no shovels are provided to pack
spilled refuse, the workers sit on top of the refuse and this contributes
health hazards to them. The vehicle and
other tools to work with are not adequate.