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Research article2015Peer reviewed

Reverse logistics system and recycling potential at a landfill: A case study from Kampala City

Kinobe, Joel; Gebresenbet, Girma; Niwagaba, Charles; Vinnerås, Björn

Abstract

The rapid growing population and high urbanisation rates in Sub-Saharan Africa has caused enormous pressure on collection services of the generated waste in the urban areas. This has put a burden on landfilling, which is the major waste disposal method. Waste reduction, re-use and recycling opportunities exist but are not fully utilized. The common items that are re-used and re-cycled are plastics, paper, aluminum, glass, steel, cardboard, and yard waste. This paper develops an overview of reverse logistics at Kiteezi landfill, the only officially recognised waste disposal facility for Kampala City. The paper analyses, in details the collection, re-processing, re-distribution and final markets of these products into a reversed supply chain network. Only 14% of the products at Kiteezi landfill are channeled into the reverse chain while 63% could be included in the distribution chain but are left out and disposed of while the remaining 23% is buried. This is because of the low processing power available, lack of market value, lack of knowledge and limited value addition activities to the products. This paper proposes possible strategies of efficient and effective reverse logistics development, applicable to Kampala City and other similar cities. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Disposal; Landfill; Logistics; Reversed products; Reverse logistics; Waste management

Published in

Waste Management
2015, Volume: 42, pages: 82-92
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

      SLU Authors

          • Sustainable Development Goals

          SDG11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
          SDG17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

          UKÄ Subject classification

          Other Environmental Engineering
          Transport Systems and Logistics

          Publication identifier

          DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2015.04.012

          Permanent link to this page (URI)

          https://res.slu.se/id/publ/73777