Evolution of household solid waste characteristics in Yaoundé city, Cameroon (1995-2015) ; Evolution des caractéristiques des déchets solides ménagers dans la ville de Yaoundé au Cameroun (1995-2015)

International audience ; This study highlights the evolution of the characteristics of household waste at various stages of the value chain and for different periods. Four downstream characterization campaigns were done in 1995, 2006, 2011 and 2016 in the city of Yaoundé (3.1 million 'Inhabitants, tropical humid climate). It also determines the specific production of household waste, necessary for planning any collection and recovery operation.To assess the specific production of household waste, surveys were conducted with 440 households selected according to stratified method, followed by deposit trash bags in any household. The characterization of the upstream waste was made directly on all the bags collected from households, a total mass of about 1 800 kg of waste sorted by characterization campaign. The characterization of downstream waste was carried out on the waste arriving at the landfill. A mass of at least 2 000 kg of waste was sorted by country. The specific production of household waste in Yaoundé varies between 0.5 and 0.8 kg/capita/day as economic level of housing, with an average of 0.62. Compared to the 1995 campaign, this figure has remained virtually stable. The organic matter of household waste varies between 50 and 60 % of dry matter after production in the households and 45-65 % at the entrance of the landfill. The average volumic mass of household waste is 0.3. It is doubled during transport in the compaction trucks, but undergo a slight increase (10 to 20 %) in open trucks. After discharge into loading docks, waste essentially return to their original volumic mass. The moisture level of waste in Yaoundé is between 50 and 65 %. During the rainy season, the organic fraction can contain up to 80 % water, making it difficult for some processes such as composting. During a period of twenty years, the specific production and the characteristic of household waste is remain the same. ; Cette étude met en exergue l’évolution des caractéristiques des déchets ménagers à différentes étapes de la ...