The Scourge of Degrading Waste: A Manifestation of Non-industrialisation and Bureaucratic Incompetence

Abstract

Solid waste disposal remains the focus of this article. It is clear that, in this regard, waste producers— often out of ignorance—pay no heed to the standards and regulations governing the process. The Ebom chiefdom, in the Essono City district, within the Yaoundé 3rd arrondissement, with its chief town of Efoulan, serves as our framework for evaluating the first seventy days following the handover of cleaning equipment to the seven municipalities of the political capital by the MINAT. Observation, qualitative analysis and documentary analysis will be employed. Harold Gar nkel’s ethnomethodology and systems theory will serve as the theoretical framework. This study sets out four objectives, namely: - to identify the different types of waste, their methods of disposal, reuse and transformation. – To highlight the stigma attached to the ignorance of these segregation practices, which is perceived as bureaucratic incompetence in this area; - To demonstrate that, as things stand, no one can emerge or industrialise without having acquired the knowledge related to standardised waste disposal; - Finally, to explain how current practices, advocated by companies involved in household waste collection, administrative bodies and the general public alike, remain one of the worst displays of the shortcomings of poor countries in the eyes of the world.