Fecal waste management: A challenge for coastal settlements in Cameroon

Ocean litter is common to behold by coastal dwellers in some coastal settlements in Cameroon to an extent that fecal waste disposal is perceived as a minor issue in such area.Coastal settlements in Cameroon have a dynamic and... [ view full abstract ]

Ocean litter is common to behold by coastal dwellers in some coastal settlements in Cameroon to an extent that fecal waste disposal is perceived as a minor issue in such area.

Coastal settlements in Cameroon have a dynamic and multicultural ethnic setting, faced with the undetermined ownership of lands resulting in nomadic ways of life which pay allegiance neither to the land owners nor administrative bodies put in place.  There exist no toilet facilities to ensure the personal hygiene of inhabitants resulting to the use of specific portions of the beaches as public toilets whereby thousands of humans pass out feces.

During recent studies by various local organizations, the inhabitants expressed doubts of this act causing any harm on the marine ecosystem as they counter that heavy tides always wash away all the human waste whereas they are faced with huge quantities of solid waste brought in by the tides every morning. Contrarily, the act of depositing human waste along the shores has various disadvantages both for the settlers and marine life. The presence of fecal waste scares away fish mongers, scares away tourists, contaminates nearby freshwater bodies and destroys / distorts habitat for marine life.

In order to help these coastal dwellers in Cameroon to contribute towards the conservation of marine ecosystems, there is urgent need for a public stakeholder discussion, education and the establishment of common human waste management facilities in these areas to facilitate knowledge dissemination and action for the conservation of marine ecosystems and human sustainance