Garbage Disposal: The Challenge Remains

G arbage disposal remains a major challenge in Douala, with heaps of household waste still visible along streets, in drainage channels and at unauthorised dumping sites across several neighbourhoods. It is not uncommon to find garbage heaps along the national road number 3 around Bonaberi. Be it at Ndokoti, Ndogbong, Logpom, Bonamoussadi, Makepe, Deido, Village, Ndogpassi, garbage is all over. From Douala I to Douala V, the story is the same. In some areas, residents complain that waste is not collected regularly, forcing households and traders to keep rubbish for several days or resort to indiscri­ minate disposal. The situation is more worrying now as during heavy rains plastic bottles, food waste and other refuse are washed into gutters, obs­ tructing the flow of water and contri­ buting to flooding. Mr Sombey Augustine a resident in Douala holds that the problem requires greater cooperation between house­ holds, businesses, waste-collection company and local councils. While waste collection remains essential, he stressed that citizens must also play their part by usin...