An Assessment of Significance of Value Stream Mapping to Mitigate Challenges Related to Solid Waste Management: Insights from Literature

Solid waste management (SWM) is defined as the process of collecting, treating, storing and disposal of solid waste in a way that they are harmless to humans, animals, plants and the general environment. In Kenyan cities, solid waste is disposed in open dump system which is uncontrolled thereby posing numerous challenges to public health and environment. The purpose of this present is to identify challenges to SWM globally as reported in various literature and how value stream mapping (VSM) can be applied to mitigate the challenges. The study is based on the following challenges to SWM; composition of solid waste, physical and technical infrastructure, policy legislation and enforcement, personnel, funding and community’s attitude to SWM in relation to the following VSM components; 1. Consumer, 2. Supplier, 3. Materials flow and 4. Information flow. The cities are strategic centers of aesthetic value, peace and security which have been overtaken by messy unattended heaps of solid waste emanating from domestic sources, markets, business and shopping centers. Identification of waste management challenges in developing countries is critical to also help select the most appropriate technology for waste management to avoid blind transport of technology and machinery from developed countries which most fail.