Evaluation of Solid Waste Separation and Recycling in Jenin Area

Solid waste separation at source in Jenin was evaluated in this thesis through a pilot in Sabah Al-Khair residential complex, north of Jenin city. The subject of solid waste in Jenin area in terms of sources and the current system of management was addressed. In addition, the thesis identified the factors affecting the management of solid waste in Jenin area. Data collection was mainly based on a questionnaire and other supporting means such as interviews with staff involved in waste management and observations and documentary analysis. The pilot study which was applied on Sabah Al-Khair suburb measured the degree of people's commitment to the separation of solid waste at source. Special waste containers of sorting were distributed in four different points (gatherings) in the suburb; each point contained two containers; one for wet organic waste and the other for dry waste. Baskets and bags intended for sorting have been distributed to the households. The study estimated the proportion of organic waste from the total household wastes. Daily household generation rates of solid waste in Jenin city were also estimated. The proportion of organic waste was found at 57.1%, while the proportion of all remaining materials formed 42.9% and the daily household generation rate of solid waste was 3.03 kg. The percentage of people's commitment for SW separation resulted at 82.8%. This is primarily due to the high degree of awareness and social level of the study sample. The application of such projects requires raising the level of awareness of the target sample, which was an outcome of this study. Factors affecting the size and management of solid waste were addressed and discussed and classified into human factors and natural factors. These factors vary in their impact on the size and management of solid waste. Human factors were more influential than natural factors because solid waste is the result of human activities in the first place and are, therefore, the driving forces. The natural factors are just complementary. It had been shown that there were variation between the city, refugee camp, and the village regarding the impact of these factors on solid waste management. There is urgent need to focus on solid waste separation at source and make efforts to raise the citizen's commitment towards this methodology. Attention must be given to community participation; one of the successful tools to develop solid waste separation and recycling sector .More interest and care are required to reach the desired development of this sector among the community.