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Waste management is a discipline associated with the control of generation, storage, collection, transfer
and transport, processing and disposal of waste in a manner that is in accordance with the best principles
of public health. The aim of the research was to assess waste management systems in second cycle
institutions in the Bolgatanga Municipality and suggest possible measures to tackling the problem. The
study adopted both open and close-ended questionnaires to collect data alongside focused group
discussions, key informant interviews and observation using a sample size of one hundred and sixty (160).
Kilometric reading was taken from the waste collection sites to the dumping sites to determine the
distance of each school to the dumping site.Majority (45%) of the respondents, who were household
heads, were in the 32-50 year group.95% of the respondents generated 1-5 tons of waste with plastic
waste constituting about 57.5 per cent of all the components of waste generated in the institutions.
Dustbins were the main equipment used for storing waste though the study found them to be inadequate. In
terms of waste collection and transportation in the schools, ‘Oboafo’ tricycle motorist, skip loaders, roll
on/roll off and compaction trucks were mainly used. The study revealed that 20% covered less than 5 km,
40% travelled between 6 and 10 Km, 30% covered a distance between 11-15 km and 10% between 16-20
Km, respectively, to the waste dumping site. The ‘pay as you throw principle ‘should be introduced to
mobilize funds for effective waste management in the municipality. The research will serve as a reference
point to the Bolgatanga municipality and all stakeholders as far as waste management is concerned.
Keywords: Dump site, dustbins, Haulage, Incineration,Institutions,Waste,Sanitary.