Evaluation of Economical and Social Aspects of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Rafah City-Palestine

Abstract

1. Background Gaza Strip is part of the Palestinian territories which is overpopulated with a population density of about 1.4 million inhabitants and represents more than 36% of total Palestinian population. The population is mainly concentrated in larger cities and eight refugee camps that contain two thirds of the total population. Part of the refugee population is moving from camps to new municipal urban areas in the different cities (MOH, 2002). Gaza-Strip has a coastline of 40km at the eastern extreme of the Mediterranean and on the edge of the Sinai Desert and total area of 365 km². The population of Rafah city is estimated at 150,000 of which 80% are refugees. The growth rate is estimated to be 4.32% and the average household size is 8.6 people (PCBC, 1997). Solid Waste Management (SWM) is a major responsibility of Rafah municipality. It is a highly complicated task, which depends on organization and cooperation between the municipality and other stakeholders such as households, communities and others. SWM is an essential municipal service, which has important consequences on public health and the efficiency and productivity of urban economy. Furthermore the municipality may not be able to provide services in this field according to sound specifications due to a lack of resources and capabilities (Afifi, 2001). Many activities have been carried out in the last decade to improve SWM in Rafah. Rafah solid waste disposal project is funded by European Union which began in 1993 with a consultant’s mission of Agro Vision Holland. In the following years, a waste collection system, environmental health education and construction of …