Contribution to non-CO2 greenhouse gases inventory for COTONOU (Republic of BENIN):: Waste sector

COTONOU, economic capital of Republic of BENIN, faces up, since a few years, to a rapid increase of its population and to a development of socio-economic activities such as commerce and industries which are responsible of increase in important quantity of solid wastes and wastewater. This led to a necessity to analyze the waste management system and to evaluate the gases emitted. The potential sources of greenhouse gases (GHG) for this sector in COTONOU city are: open-air wastes burning, wastes burying in the ground, unmanaged dumps, septic tanks, latrines, soakaways and wastewater lagoon treatment. Emission factors have been calculated where emissions are produced and have enabled to estimate emissions for four (4) non-CO2 greenhouse gases (CH4, CO, N2O, NOX) emitted during the period 1994 - 1998. The values range from 2333.4 t to 2861.7 t for CH4, from 1100.3 t to 1352.6 t for CO, from 32.44 t to 36.55 t for N2O and from 57.22 t to 69.65 t for NOX.