Solid waste management challenges and solutions: The case of the city of Khouribga (Morocco)

Abstract

In Morocco, like in many developing countries, the management of solid waste, especially household solid waste, is a major concern. It is estimated that each person generates an average of 0.67 kilograms of urban waste per day, while in rural areas, this figure is 0.3 kilograms per day. The collection of urban solid waste is regular and almost daily, reaching approximately 5.5 million metric tons per year. The management of household waste is a major concern for all urban communities. The city of Khouribga, like many other Moroccan cities, faces various environmental challenges such as air pollution, waste management, and preservation of natural resources. In order to address these issues, it is essential to gather accurate and comprehensive information to develop effective and sustainable strategies. In this context, efforts are being made to optimize and improve the collection of household solid waste in the urban municipality of Khouribga. This study has revealed the existence of technical and social constraints that hinder the smooth operation of the current solid waste collection in this city. Therefore, the mobilization of the municipality, service providers, and the population is necessary to overcome these challenges.