Micro-Enterprises in Municipal Solid Waste Management

Municipal wastes are the major environmental problems in developing countries. Countries employ different approaches to manage solid wastes in order to avert their impacts on the environment. Involving the community at large is priceless to employ effective SWM. MEs play a vital role in achieving the active participation of the population in the solution for environmental problems associated with solid waste. For instance, MEs can collect wastes in places, particularly low income areas, where trucks cannot enter since they are characterized by the use of simple technology and intensive labor. This often results in the ultimate reduction of municipal expenditure and unemployment. However, there are many factors inhibit MEs from sustainable revenue generation and let them out from the system of MSWM. These include non-payment culture of residents, who consider those services of MEs should be provided by governments free of charge; Peoples' lack of knowledge about the problem of solid waste; the variation of services provided MEs across different income level of Households; Delay of payment from the customers; Little or absence of financial and training support.