THE WASTE MANAGEMENT CRISIS IN SIERRA LEONE SERIES.

Sierra Leone faces serious waste management challenges, posing significant environmental and health risks. Without adequate infrastructure, open dumpsites and unregulated disposal are common, especially in Freetown, where trash clogs drainage systems. This contributes to severe flooding during the rainy season and the spread of diseases like cholera, malaria, and typhoid.

With formal collection services reaching only a small percentage of waste, much of it rots in the streets or is burned in the open, releasing toxins. Non-biodegradable plastics pollute rivers and beaches, harming water sources and marine life. While limited government resources and international support have slowed improvement efforts, urgent action is needed to protect both environment and public health.

In Freetown, many people, including women and children, work in informal waste collection, gathering recyclable materials like plastic bottles, cans, scrap metal, and glass. They earn 20,000 to 50,000 Sierra Leonean Leones daily (around $1 to $2.50). Children working in this sector often miss school due to financial constraints or distance, as families rely on their income. Despite harsh conditions, these workers help ease landfill pressure and promote recycling, highlighting the need for safer conditions, fair wages, and support from formal systems to improve waste management.