Yaoundé Faces Garbage Crisis as Waste Accumulates in Neighborhoods

Yaoundé is grappling with a mounting waste management crisis as thousands of tonnes of household garbage accumulate across neighborhoods like Biyem-Assi and Nsimeyong, raising environmental and health concerns.

Key points

• The capital city produces between 2,000 and 3,000 tonnes of household waste daily, driven by population growth and urbanization.
• Residents report that only about half of the generated waste is collected and treated, leaving gutters obstructed and streets lined with refuse.
• Local authorities attribute part of the crisis to a structural imbalance in waste processing capacity alongside citizen incivism.

Why it matters

The piling waste and disappearance of trash bins in densely populated districts create severe health and sanitation risks for millions of residents in Cameroon's capital.