Factors affects the waste collection

Factors affects the waste collection

(i).Finalising and implementi ng the system management plan:

For proper implementation of  collection and  transfer  system,  it  is  ne cessary  to  have clear organisational  structures and management plans. The organisational struc ture should be simple,   with  a  minimum   of administrative and management  layers  between collection crews   and  top  management. All workers  in the department  should clearl y understand the department's mission and their roles. Through training, incentives and r einforcement by management, workers should be encouraged to be customer-oriented and te am contributors. Feedback mechanisms must be introduced to help the crew review their performance and help managers  monitoring  the  performance  of crews,  equipment, etc.  It  is  als o important  to periodically  review  the  manag ement  plans and  structures,  as implementation of  collection services continues.

(ii).Purchasing and managi ng equipment: For purchasing equipment, m ost municipalities issue bid specifications. Detaile d specifications include exact requirements for equipment sizes and capacities, power ratings, e tc. Performance specifications often request that  equipment be  equivalent   to  certain  availab le models  and meet  standards for  capacity, speed, etc.Municipalities  may either perform equipment maintenance themselves; contr act with  a local garage, or in some cases, contract with the vehicle vendor at  the time of  pur chase.  As part of the  preventive maintenance pr ogramme, the collection crew should check the  vehicle chassis,

tyres  and body daily and rep ort  any problems  to maintenance  managers.  In addition, each

vehicle should have an individ ual maintenance record that includes the follo wing items:

ü       Preventive maintenance s chedule;

ü       Current list of specific en gine;

ü                 A description of repairs and a list containing information on the repair date, mechanic, cost, type an d manufacturer of repair parts

ü The length of time the truck was out of service, for each maintenance event.

(iii)  Hiring  and  training  personnel:  As  in  all  organisations, good  personnel management is essential to an efficient, high-quality waste collection system.  Authorities responsible for SWM  should,  therefore,  strive  to  hire and keep well-qualified  personnel.   The recruitment programme should assess applicants' abilities to perform the types of physical labour required for the  collection, equipment and methods used.  To  retain employees, management  should provide a safe working environment that emphasises career advancement, participatory problem solving and worker incentives. Worker incentives should  be developed to recognise and   reward outstanding performance by employees. Ways to accomplish motivation include merit-based compensation, awards programme and a work structure.  Feedback  on employee performance should be regular and frequent.    

 Safety   is especially important   because waste   collection employees encounter many hazards  during each workday. As a result of poor safety records,  insurance costs for many collection services are high. To minimise injuries, haulers should have an ongoing safety programme. This programme should outline safety procedures and ensure that all  personnel  are  properly  trained  on  safety  issues.  Haulers  should  develop  an  employee- training programme  that helps  employees  improve and broaden the range of their job-related skills. Education should address such subjects as driving skills, first aid, safe lifting methods, identification of household hazardous wastes, avoidance of substance abuse and stress management.

(iv) Providing  public  information: Maintaining good communication  with the public is important  to  a well-run  collection  system.  Residents can  greatly influence the performance of  the  collection  system  by  co-operating  in  separation  requirements, and by keeping undesirable materials from entering the collected  waste stream. Commonly used methods  of  communicating information include  brochures, articles in  community newsletters, newspaper articles,  announcements,  and advertisements  on radio and television, information  attachments  to  utility  bills  (either  printed or  given separately) and school handouts. Communication materials should be  used to  help  residents  understand  the community waste  management  challenges and the progress in  meeting them. Residents should also be kept informed about issues such as the availability and costs of landfill capacity so that they develop an understanding of the issues and a desire to help meet their waste management needs.

(v)   Monitoring system   cost and   performance: Collection   and   transfer facilities should  develop  and maintain  an effective  system  for cost  and performanc e reporting. Each collection crew should complete a daily report containing the following information:

ü    Total quantity hauled.

ü    Total distance and travel times to and from the disposal site.

ü    Amounts delivered to ea ch disposal, transfer, or processing facility. Waiting time at sites.

ü    Number of loads hauled.

ü    Vehicle or operational problems needing attention.