Material Flow Analysis in the long and short term : Gaborone Transfer and Recycling Station (GTARS)

Abstract: This thesis has been performed in Gaborone, Botswana, where all interviews and relevant research data collection took place. The main method of data collection was a semi-structured interviews with relevant parties involved in waste management and generation in Gaborone.This work is part of a larger feasibility study called “Gaborone Transfer and Recycling Station (GTARS)”. The main objective is to make waste management in Gaborone more sustainable, taking environmental, social and economic aspects into account. The aim of this master thesis is to investigate the waste flow rates and composition in the capital city of Botswana, Gaborone. Taking this into account, other factors which directly influence waste generation and composition are identified. The findings show that currently in the year 2014, the city of Gaborone is generating about 348 tons of solid waste per day.Further investigation showed that illegal dumping is a prominent practice in Gaborone, mostly due to the long distance to the landfill and generally low environmental awareness amongst the citizens of the city. The waste generation rates are increasing every year, because the city of Gaborone is expanding rapidly and economic conditions facilitate the increasing urbanization rate. The analysis done till the year 2024 indicate that waste amounts might reach up to 433 tons of solid waste generated per day. Waste composition analysis is constrained, because of the limited data sources available on this subject, but the analysis shows that paper, biodegradable waste and plastics are the main fractions found in the municipal waste stream.