The human cost of living near a landfill

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Across Uganda and beyond, communities living near unmanaged landfills are facing a growing public health crisis.

These sites, often located dangerously close to residential areas, are more than just dumping grounds – they are ticking time bombs for human health.

Dr. Grace Kemigisha, an environmental health expert, says the health risks for people living near landfills are deeply troubling.

“Respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and chronic lung infections are rampant here,” she warns.

“The air is thick with toxic fumes, including methane and carcinogenic dioxins from burning waste.”

This is not an isolated concern. A 2016 World Health Organisation (WHO) study found a direct link between exposure to landfill gases and long-term lung damage.

Symptoms like persistent coughing, difficulty breathing, and unexplained chest pain are increasingly common among families living near these toxic zones—especially affecting children and the elderly.

Poison in the water

The danger doesn’t stop at the air. Toxic leachate - the liquid that drains from decomposing waste - often seeps into nearby wells, rivers, and other water sources.

“This contaminated water spreads diseases like cholera, dysentery, and typhoid,” Dr. Kemigisha explains.

“Many families unknowingly drink or cook with it, unaware of the long-term damage.”

A 2021 report by Uganda’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) highlighted the presence of heavy metals such as mercury and lead in leachate from several dumpsites. These toxic elements are linked to a range of health issues, including neurological disorders, birth defects, developmental delays in children, and some forms of cancer.

Land, food, and livelihoods in peril

The contamination also extends to the soil. Waste sites, particularly unregulated ones, degrade surrounding land by introducing heavy metals and toxins into the ground.

“The soil around the landfill is laced with heavy metals that reduce crop yields and render food unsafe,” Dr. Kemigisha says.

A 2020 study in India found cadmium levels five times higher than safe limits in crops grown near landfills—a trend now being mirrored in parts of Uganda. For families relying on subsistence farming, this means their crops may be both unmarketable and dangerous to consume. Their food security—and future—are at risk.

A public health emergency in the making

“This is more than just trash,” Dr. Kemigisha emphasizes.

“This is life and death.” She describes the current situation as a slow-moving but deadly public health emergency.

Experts are calling for urgent intervention: the relocation of affected communities, cleanup of polluted ecosystems, and crucially, investment in safe and sustainable waste management infrastructure.

“This issue goes beyond a single location,” she adds. “What we need are engineered landfills with protective liners, leachate treatment systems, and gas collection technologies. Anything less is simply dumping poison into the lives of ordinary people.”

A wake-up call

While Kiteezi—Uganda’s largest and oldest landfill—has become a symbol of these dangers, similar health threats are emerging in many growing urban areas where waste is not properly managed.

Poor waste disposal is no longer just an environmental issue. It is a public health crisis creeping into homes, fields, and water taps - largely unnoticed until it is too late.

Without bold and immediate action, many more communities could find themselves silently poisoned by the very waste they never asked to live beside.