“In Yaoundé, Cameroon, inefficient municipal waste collection services and extensive informal dumpsites contribute to open dumping, environmental degradation, and community exposure to waste-related hazards.”

The paper provides an overview of the state of municipal solid waste (MSW) management in the capital of Cameroon, Yaounde. It notes that distances to the Nkolfoulou landfill and lack of infrastructure have a major impact on waste collection, resulting in low collection coverage and accumulation of uncollected waste in the city. The authors describe how uncollected MSW is often dumped in open spaces, drains and along roadsides, posing environmental and public health risks for nearby communities.

Yaoundé City Council, through the Department of Environment and Hygiene, is responsible for solid waste management (SWM). The city generates about 1,310 tons of waste per day. Only 40% of the compactor trucks and 30% of the other waste collection trucks are operational because of a lack of spare parts. Limited operational capacity and equipment shortages reduce collection efficiency, which in turn encourages uncontrolled disposal of waste by residents in areas not adequately serviced.

The study aimed to assess "management of plastic waste in the city of Yaoundé and its impact on environmental components, in particular surface water, air and agricultural soil." It reports that "analyses show that agricultural soils and surface waters are polluted by plastic waste and the elements produced by its degradation" and that "the air at sites with a high accumulation rate generally showed high levels of greenhouse gases (CO2 and VOCs), with higher concentrations of 650 ppm (CO2) and 0.078 mg/m³ (VOCs) in the microclimate of the drain in the Yaoundé 3 district". The authors conclude that these accumulations of plastic waste are "having a negative impact on the ecology of the city of Yaoundé, while also contributing to the already worrying phenomenon of global warming" and call for urgent measures to minimise health and environmental risks.

For Yaoundé, the annual budget for MSW management is 15 billion FCFA (25 million USD) for a daily collection of approximately 1,200 tons (60% of the daily MSW production). Physical obstacles to MSW management in Yaoundé include rugged terrain, inadequate service roads, and the continuous expansion of the urban perimeter, which increases MSW collection distances. The chapter notes that collection services suffer from lack of mastery and inadequate techniques, and that pre-collection from informal and unstructured settlements is not institutionalized. These shortcomings contribute to the persistence of unmanaged waste and informal dumping areas within the city.

This thesis on Yaoundé II states that "In Cameroon, the problem of domestic waste management is prevalent. Most towns produce waste that they are not capable of managing. This is the case of Yaoundé II in the Mfoundi division where the sanitary conditions are precarious." It notes that rapid population increase and few suitable structures mean that waste generation "outpaces the capacity to properly manage it and this has largely influenced the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of domestic waste in Yaoundé II," and that "the policies and institutions that govern waste management in Yaoundé II are ineffective" with the inefficiency of public waste services "strongly felt" on the environment and public health.

The paper notes that in Yaoundé "rapid urbanization exacerbates insufficient infrastructure, service fragmentation, and the proliferation of illegal dumps." It states that "with a recycling rate below 4% and a composition dominated by organic matter (61–65%), the current system generates significant environmental (leachate pollution, methane emissions) and socio‑health impacts." The authors describe that "insufficient infrastructure, irregular collection, and the proliferation of illegal dumps reflect fragmented and informal management" and that these unsanitary sites "become breeding grounds for insects, reptiles, and rodents, increasing health risks" while the decomposition of waste "generates greenhouse gases, thus contributing to climate change."

It is estimated that Yaoundé generates 3,000 tons of waste every day, half of which is currently processed. The aim of the project was to audit the current infrastructure with a view to opening a second landfill site in the near future. The advantage of a second site is that it would limit the cost of collection, which would then take place over shorter distances, also generating less CO2. The statement that only half of daily waste is treated implies that the remaining quantities are not properly managed and are likely to be dumped or abandoned in the environment.

The paper, which includes Yaoundé among its cases, cites Wilson et al. (2015) that "collection irregularity is a key indicator of structural inefficiency in MSW systems in low- and middle-income countries." It notes that in such cities "inefficient collection services lead to the accumulation of uncollected waste in public spaces and the proliferation of informal dumps" and that these failures "increase exposure of nearby communities to waste-related hazards, including vector-borne diseases, contamination of water sources and localised flooding."

The article explains that in Yaoundé IV municipality, "solid waste is managed by municipal authorities in collaboration with the local population and civil society organisations" but that "the municipal government acknowledges that the amount of solid waste generated in the municipality – one of the largest in the country – overwhelms its capacity to collect and dispose waste." The mayor states that their main challenges include "the sustainable management of plastic and organic wastes, as well as [to] reduce the emission of greenhouse gas." It further notes that serious waste issues in the city "have prevented water circulation, caused floods, health problems and affected agriculture output," indicating environmental degradation and community exposure to waste‑related hazards.

Discussing municipal solid waste in Cameroon, the report describes that in one municipality "collected municipal solid waste is disposed in open dumps" which "are sited and operated with no environmental consideration and no supervision or management documentation." It adds that in "slums and unplanned settlements, indiscriminate disposal of municipal solid waste in streams, roadsides, vacant lots and low‑lying areas are very common" and that during the rainy season floods carry away this debris with associated pollution. While not limited to Yaoundé, the paper uses Cameroonian urban municipalities as examples of how inadequate formal systems lead to open dumping and environmental and health risks.

This article presents a waste collection and management application named CLEAN-UP, designed to improve the work already carried out by waste collection actors in Yaoundé. The authors note that the current waste collection system faces inefficiencies, including suboptimal routing and limited coverage in some neighborhoods, leading to the accumulation of waste and the development of informal dumpsites. The proposed system aims to reduce uncollected waste and mitigate environmental and health impacts associated with open dumping.

Urbanization and population growth have led to increased waste generation in Cameroon, resulting in approximately 9,000 tons of municipal solid waste per day in urban areas. The call for proposals states that insufficient collection and treatment capacity means a large share of this waste is openly dumped or burned, particularly organic waste, which contributes to methane emissions and air pollution. Communities near these open dumpsites are exposed to odors, smoke and disease vectors.

The review reports that in many Sub-Saharan African cities, including Yaoundé, collection coverage rates range widely and often leave 20–40% of generated waste uncollected. Uncollected waste is typically disposed of in open dumps, street corners and drainage channels. The thesis argues that such open dumping practices degrade the urban environment and expose residents, especially in informal settlements, to health hazards such as vermin, odours and water contamination.

The piece notes that "in many urban areas across Cameroon, waste management remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges" and that systems meant to manage waste are "often overwhelmed, inconsistent, or completely absent." It describes a "familiar and troubling sight: open dumps along streets, sidewalks, and public spaces — threatening public health, degrading the environment, and diminishing the beauty of our cities" in cities including "Douala, Bamenda, and Yaoundé." It explains that ineffective waste collection leads to "waste containers overflowing for days or weeks" and residents dumping trash in drainage canals, causing blocked gutters, flooding, and piles of mixed waste that "attract rodents and mosquitoes" and pose multiple public health and environmental risks.

Cameroon’s state daily reports that the government has launched new initiatives to improve urban cleanliness, highlighting that authorities are working to "reinforce the collection and treatment of household waste in major cities including Yaounde and Douala." The article states that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has been instructed to "strengthen the mechanisms for pre-collection and collection" and to improve contracts with private operators in order to reduce illegal dumping and unsanitary conditions in neighbourhoods. This indicates recognition by authorities that existing waste collection services have been insufficient and that reforms are underway.

Reporting on the Yaoundé II municipality, the state-owned daily notes that local authorities are "grappling with problems of household waste disposal" and acknowledges that "piles of household refuse can still be seen in some neighbourhoods, giving an unpleasant sight and posing health risks to populations." The article explains that while collection contracts exist, "irregular passage of garbage trucks" and residents resorting to dumping waste in unauthorized places remain challenges for the sub-division.

In the environmental baseline section for Yaoundé, the assessment notes that "solid waste management remains a major challenge" and that "uncontrolled dumping of household waste in ravines, on vacant land and in watercourses is common in peri‑urban neighborhoods." It states that "waste collection services do not cover all districts" and that this situation contributes to "the degradation of water quality in streams and increased exposure of nearby residents to disease vectors and unpleasant odours." The report links these practices to the poor performance of municipal waste collection and the absence of adequate disposal sites.

Cameroon Tribune is the state newspaper and has covered municipal sanitation and urban cleanliness campaigns in Yaoundé. This homepage alone does not provide a direct quote about inefficient waste collection or informal dumpsites, so it is background only and not decisive evidence.

Although this study is about Mamfe rather than Yaoundé, it states that illegal dumping in open spaces, streams, and storm-drainage channels has created health problems. The paper lists malaria, diarrhoea, intestinal worms, and bilharzia as common health hazards linked to poor waste disposal, which supports the broader mechanism of waste-related exposure.

Background knowledge: Yaoundé has long faced irregular municipal waste collection, and informal dumpsites and waste piled along drainage channels are widely discussed in reporting and academic literature as contributors to blocked drains, flooding, environmental degradation, and exposure to vectors and other hazards. This is contextual support rather than a direct citation.