This paper contributes to the debate on the role of the informal sector in solid waste management by examining the effectiveness of informal sector solid waste management practices in transforming waste into nonwaste in the city of Gweru in Zimbabwe. The study focused on 589 informal enterprises that were surveys using questionnaire interviews and focus group discussions with key informants. Analysis of solid waste management in the informal sector of Gweru has revealed that large amounts of waste are generated indicating poor material efficiency in the enterprises, especially in food market areas where huge amounts of biodegradable material and vegetable wastes are generated and disposed of haphazardly. Analysis of the key factors that include solid waste generation rates, collection frequencies and transportation, waste minimisation, and reduction practices showed that the current waste management system is unsustainable in the long run. The municipality of Gweru needs to provide more resources for financing, training, and manpower to enable effective provision of an environmentally friendly solid waste management system in the city, including the informal sector. 1. Introduction Urban solid waste management is considered to be one of the most serious environmental problems confronting developing countries [1] and the city of Gweru in Zimbabwe is no exception. Economic implosion in Zimbabwe has resulted in high levels of unemployment estimated at 80% [2–5]. This has led to the growth of home industries in Gweru and around the city centre and high density suburbs such as Mkoba, Monomotapa, Mambo, Ascot, and Senga. Solid waste generation in these suburbs is very high given their spatial extent and population. This is putting much pressure on the waste disposal system in place and as a result a lot of waste is left uncollected creating a health hazard. The aim of this paper is to examine the solid waste management practices in the informal sector of Gweru, the third largest city in Zimbabwe. Waste management refers to the collection, transport, recovery, and disposal of waste, including the supervision of such operations and after-care of disposal sites. It concerns itself with the existing amount of waste, trying to minimize the human-waste or environment-waste interface and to minimize potential impact. Waste management should concern itself not only with final disposal of waste but also with the whole cycle of waste creation, transport, storage, treatment, and recovery and does so to minimize pollution. According to the waste management pyramid, the
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