ASSESSMENT OF ACCUMULATION RATE OF PLASTIC

WASTE AND INTRODUCTION OF GOOD ENGINEERING

SOLUTION AT SOUTHERN BEACH, KIGAMBONI
MUNICIPALITY IN DAR ES SALAAM REGION.

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

ARDHI UNIVERSITY

MSUHA, NICEPRAISE F

23861/T 2019

MR. PASCHAL CHRISOGON MR. LIGATE

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 INTRODUCTION

Marine debris is a growing problem with plastics making up 60–80% of marine litter worldwide.
Plastic enters in the sea as macro and micro litter. In the marine environment several chemical
and physical processes affect its shape, density, andcomposition. The global amount of plastic
entering the oceans each year is estimated to be between 4 and 12 million metric tons (Jambeck
et al.,2015). The five ocean gyres, i.e., North and South Pacific, North and South Atlantic, and
Indianhave been identified as the largest accumulation zones together with highly populated,
shallow, and enclosed waters, such as the Mediterranean Sea (Cózar et al., 2015; Suaria et al.,
2016).

However, investigating the seafloor is of fundamental Importance, as it is estimated that about

70% of marine Debris sinks to the seabed with unknown consequences (UNEP, 2005). Even
low-density polymers can lose buoyancy under the Weight of bio-fouling. Deposition rates on
the seabed depend on many factors, such as the size and density of plastic objects, Depth,
currents, wave motion, and the topography of the seabed. Marine litter has physical, chemical,
and biological implications on marine organisms showing deleterious eefect and consequences of
entanglement, consumption and smothering.

The sources of marine litter can be grouped in two broad categories: land-based and marine-
based sources. Land-based sources include landfills and littering of beaches and coastal areas
(tourism), rivers and floodwaters, industrial emissions, discharge from storm water drains and
untreated municipal sewerage. It is estimated that land-based sources contribute substantially to
the marine litter problem, about 80% of the total. Marine-based sources include cargo and
passenger shipping, recreational boating, military navigation, fishing and aquaculture facilities,
and the energy industry, as well as legal and illegal dumping.

The followings are the types of plastic and their characterization in how they are used globally;
RESEARCH PROBLEM
Proper Solid Waste Management is an important aspect for public protection but growing
amounts of global consumption and Waste production are the problems facing Southern beach at
Kigamboni municipality in Dar Es Salaam region.

Plastic is one of the most enduring materials men has created. Nowadays, we all know that it can
take hundreds of years for plastic to degrade, and research is showing that it is possible that it
does not even fully degrade, but becomes what we call microplastic.

Microplastics are tiny particles of plastic that can be eaten by marine animals and end up in their
bodies and tissues, entering the food chain and leading to disastrous consequences for the health
of our planet and all its inhabitants.

Even if human beings are becoming more and more aware of the hazards this material poses to
life, the presence of plastic in our ocean is continually increasing, and plastic pollution is still one
of the main causes of marine species extinction, health problems for human beings and animals
alike, and the destruction of our ecosystems.

Most of these wastes affect the marine organisms as 70% of marine debris sink in the seabed
with unknown consequences. This clearly triggers the safety of marine organisms together with
the outside environment.

The aim of this study is to come up with a good solution so as to fill the gap which hinders
proper management of plastic waste, improve health of citizens, ensure safety of marine
organisms, support environmental sustainability, The aim of this study is therefore to collect the
information, assess it, survey the area and coming enhance the scenic beauty and facilitate
economic development.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
General objective

The general objective is to assess the accumulation rate of plastic waste and introduction of a
good engineering solution at Southern beach, Kigamboni Municipality in Dar Es Salaam region.
Specific objectives

 Determination of type of plastics accumulated at Southern beach, Kigamboni

Municipality in Dar Es Salaam region.
 Determination and examining the origin of plastics accumulated.
 Determination the rate of accumulation of plastic at Southern beach, Kigamboni
Municipality in Dar Es Salaam region.
 Proposing a good engineering solution for recovery of plastic wastes.

Research Questions

 What causes ocean pollution?

 How much plastic is in the ocean?
 Where do plastics in the ocean come from?
 How can we prevent ocean pollution due to plastics?
 Where do micro plastics come from?
 What advancements are being made in recycling plastics?

Significance of the study

This study aims to seek better ways of improving waste management through improved
processes of storage, collection and transportation prior to disposal.

It is quite hard to retrieve plastic from the ocean once it has entered it. New technologies allow
us to catch larger marine debris, but small plastic items and microplastics are virtually
impossible to reach, especially when they are deep in the ocean. Therefore, the best solution is to
prevent plastic waste from entering rivers and seas in the first place.

The results of this study will add valuable information to the public about effective solution of
tackling marine waste specifically plastics hence helping to sustain the environment, improve
health and attract more investors.

Methodology

This section describes the general concept of the study that is ought to be implemented.
In this section, the most way that will be used is reconnaissance survey (whereby extensive study
if the desired area will be done so as to obtain the required information) together with
Questionnaire (Do list) where it’s a set of questions purposely for gathering information from the
respondents about the research ought to be excited in the required area.

Also mixed research method (Qualitative and Quantitative) will be used to characterize the
information obtained.

For Sampling, the Convenience Sampling method will be used where the respondents or desired
group will be selected since they happen to be in the exact place at the study time.

Work plan

This section shows the overall activities that will be held throughout the research period.

Work Description

Reconnaissance survey -extensive study of the area to obtain

the required information.

Questionnaire -set of questions to get information

from the selected respondents

Collection -thorough collection of data and

available plastic waste for grouping
and sorting

Sampling -sampling out the plastic waste that

appear to stand out more.

Rate determination -obtaining its rate of accumulation for

proposing of solution of reduction.

Budget

The overall budget of the research is approximately to 150,000 Tsh.