Private solid waste collection services, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Introduction IN THEIR DAILY activities, people generate solid waste. Regardless of the procedures used, solid waste needs to be properly managed in a way that minimise risk to the environment and human health. Inadequate collection and disposal of solid waste is a major factor in the spread of diseases and environmental degradation SWM is a service for which local governments are responsible. However due to a lack of capacity in the public sector, the private sector has stepped in to fill the gap. Private sector contribution in solid waste collection is now a common phenomenon in most cities in developing countries. Dar es Salaam (DSM) – Tanzania is one among the cities in developing countries in which its solid waste services has stepped in private sector since 1994. Contracting out of solid waste services to the private sector has emerged to fill the gap in service delivery. Despite the successes the scheme has faced constraints during its implementation, and efficiency is still low, only a portion of solid waste generated are collected.