Wasting waste. A comparison on waste management in Serekunda and Nijmegen

Abstract

Serekunda deals with big waste issues, because of lacking waste regulation and limited access to money. Two theories can bring solutions for these issues, namely Smart Regulation and Circular Economy. The objective of this study is to get more insights on how to improve waste management in Serekunda, by comparing waste management in Serekunda to waste management in Nijmegen, a city where waste management is well-regulated and circular initiatives are increasing. Formal parties, like the municipality, and informal parties, like donkey men and scavengers are involved in waste management in Serekunda. Informal parties are common in the city, due to insufficient formal initiative, money and workforces. Corruption and little communication are the biggest contributors to the lacking waste management system, as these factors create unclarity and make people take charge for themselves. In Nijmegen, the municipality cooperates and communicates a lot with waste businesses. This communication creates a clear division of tasks, which leads to an efficient working system. More communication on waste management between parties in Serekunda could also create more efficiency, but due to corruption, this is a difficult task. Thus, in Serekunda, there is a need for cooperation between the municipality and self-regulating waste businesses.