RE-USE PRACTICES AND ISSUES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 203
One type of reuse that has received particular attention in the Hyderabad research of
this project is farm reuse of organics. The main practices associated with farm reuse
are:
- the cultivation of dumpsites (closed or operating) (Furedy and Ghosh, 1984;
Drescher, 1994; Furedy, 2002); - the ‘mining’ of dumpsites for organic matter (see Rosenberg and Furedy, 1996:
72; Scheu and Bhattacharya, 1995; Nunan, 2000; Brook and Davila, 2000;
Djabatey, 1996; Asomani-Boateng, 1999; Harris et al., 2001; Kiango and Amend,
2001); - the transportation of mixed solid waste to farms, where inorganics are largely
removed before the waste is applied to soils (Lewcock, 1995; WASTE, 1998;
IBSRAM, 2000; Nunan, 2001; Dulac, 2001); - on-farm co-composting of urban animal and farm wastes (which also applies to
‘backyard farms’) (Birley and Lock,1999:139; Nunan, 2001).
In many cities of India, farmers have access to municipal dumps to collect decom-
posed material. In some cases the municipality auctions pits at dumps (Nunan, 2000).
Municipal solid waste may be transported to peri-urban farms under private contracts
and agreements with municipal collection crews (who deliver to the farms instead of
disposing at the garbage dump). In addition, farmers delivering produce to green
markets may carry back market wastes in their empty vehicles. The cultivation of old
dumpsites by small farmers has been observed around Accra, Ghana (Drescher, 1994;
Asomani-Boateng, 1999; Osborn, 2000).
There is evidence for a steady decline in farm reuse near large cities in Asia, mainly
due to contamination of the waste with inorganics and high transportation costs
(Nunan, 2001; Brook and Davila, 2000). Around West African cities, where chemical
and other commercial fertilizers are scarce and expensive, on the other hand, farm
reuse appears to be increasing (e.g. in Kano, Nigeria, cf. Lewcock, 1994).
The use of food wastes and green wastes for animal feed and fodder is a widespread
practice. This includes food and peelings fed to household animals, as well as food and
canning wastes used in commercial animal husbandry (e.g. piggeries, goat farms). In
Khartoum, it has been estimated that goats consume about 30 percent of urban solid
waste (Richardson and Whitney, 1995).
Sieved, decomposed municipal waste may be used as a cover material at dumpsites
(Scheu and Battacharyya, 1995). Urban and peri-urban cattle dung and crop residues
are widely used as fuel in parts of Asia.
To the extent that reuse is of materials that do not enter the municipal waste manage-
ment system, these practices reduce the burden of waste collection for a city. Further-
more, less disposal space is needed when wastes are diverted, or removed, from