Waste Management

Waste management and sanitation are addressed in the Guinea-Bissau National Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) produced with the IMF in 2007. A Water and Sanitation Master Plan exists for the country.

A private company and several NGOs have been involved in the collection of garbage in the capital. However, waste management continues to be a problem and is exacerbated by annual population growth rates of 3%. Efforts to reduce consumption have been pursued by the central government in response to the incapacity of municipalities to deal with increasing amounts of waste. With respect to sanitation, approximately 35% of households have no toilets and there is widespread use of poorly-conceived latrines or pits, which present a serious hazard to public health. There is no organized system for urban waste removal and treatment.