Journal of Applied Sciences1812-56541812-5662Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/jas.2014.2909.2924SankohFoday Pinka YanXiangbin TranQuangyen 1220141422The aim of this study is to evaluate the status and challenges of solid waste management system in Freetown, Sierra Leone and possible recommendations towards sustainable development. Structured questionnaires were administered with respect to socioeconomic characteristics and waste management data in four selected constituencies of Freetown because they were the most populated constituencies that generate 70% of the total quantity of solid waste in the city. Door-to-door survey approach was used to determine the rate of solid waste generation through sorting and weighing of solid waste. The data obtained was analyzed by using SPSS software packages. The results showed that on the average, 0.45 kg/person/day of solid waste was generated in Freetown because respondents socioeconomic characteristics were significantly related to solid waste generation and physical composition. Due to institutional, regulatory, financial, technical and public participation shortcomings, the Solid Waste Management system was weak and ineffective in management and hence result to environmental and health hazards in Freetown. The study concludes that solid waste generation and physical composition were two important factors in designing the cost effectiveness and environmentally compatible solid waste management system in Freetown given the fact that waste management authoritys activities were very unsatisfactory. Therefore, there was need for support from government, private sector and Non-governmental Organizations for a rehabilitation of the entire solid waste management system, first on an emergency basis, followed by development and implementation of long-term sustainable measures.]]>Ahmed, S.A. and M. Ali,200428467479Aziz, S.Q., H.A. Aziz, M.J. Bashir and M.S. Yusoff,201129880887Bandara, N.J.G.J., J.P.A. Hettiaratchi, S.C. Wirasinghe and S. Pilapiiya,20071353139Buenrostro, O. and G. Bocco,200339251263Buenrostro, O., G. Bocco and J. Vence,2001518693Burnley, S.J., J.C. Ellis, R. Flowerdew, A.J. Poll and H. Prosser,200749264283Demirbas, A.,20115212801287Ezeah, C. and C.L. Roberts,2012103914Girling, R.,2005Pages: 414Pages: 414Gogra, A.B., J. Yao, V.T.S. Kabba, E.H. Sandy, G. Zaray, S.P. Gbaniea and T.S. Bandagbad,20106124135Hoornweg, D. and P. Bhada-Tata,20122012Joseph, K.,200630863871Kum, V., A. Sharp and N. Harnpornchai,200525101109Mangizvo, R.V. and M. Wiseman,20121125131Mensah, A.,200630754768Monavari, S.M., G.A. Omrani, A. Karbassi and F.F. Raof,201218418411846Oguntoyinbo, O.O.,2012126441447Ott, R.L. and M. Longnecker,20015th Edn.,Pages: 1152Pages: 1152Phillips, P.S., K. Holley, M.P. Bates and N.P. Freestone,200236131Read, A.D.,199926259285Siddiqui, M.A., S.M. Rashid, L. Siddiqui and S.A. Ansari,201240109119Sood, D.,20042004Sujauddin, M., S.M.S. Huda and A.T.M.R. Hoque,20082816881695Thanh, N.P., Y. Matsui and T. Fujiwara,20111752335Tonglet, M., P.S. Phillips and M.P. Bates,2004422748Williams, P.T.,2005Wilson, D.C., L. Rodic, A. Scheinberg, C.A. Velis and G. Alabaster,201230237254Wilson, D.C., A.O. Araba, K. Chinwah and C.R. Cheeseman,200929629635