A comparative analysis of household and similar waste management systems in the provincial capitals of the Beni Mellal–Khenifra region, Morocco

Abstract

A retrospective and cross-sectional comparative analysis of household and similar waste (HSW) management systems in the major cities of the Beni Mellal–Khenifra region was carried out to identify the current state and prevailing conditions of HSW management on the scale of this region. The various factors influencing this management were briefly presented, with an emphasis on comparing urban planning, demographic, technical, and HSW management aspects, such as demographic and spatio-temporal evolution, the HSW generated and its physical characterization, collection, disposal and recovery practices, and the financial impact of this management on the budgets of the studied cities. This study reveals that these cities have experienced spectacular urban sprawl, mainly due to their continuing population growth (1.5–2.54%). A close correlation was observed between this growth and the increase in the production of HSW in these cities. The composition of this waste shows that the fermentable organic fraction and humidity are high, and the recyclable fraction represents a significant proportion. Formal recovery of recyclable materials is almost non-existent in the cities compared, leaving the informal sector to dominate the exploitation of this source. The cost of managing this waste (collection and landfill) represents 10 to 19% of the overall operating budget of these cities. Significant efforts have been made to improve the waste collection system, but very little has been done to eliminate and recover waste. A transition is, therefore, needed towards integrated and sustainable management at the regional level, based on an ecosystem of specialized channels for the recovery of different fractions of HSW.