Corporate environmental responsibility in Ethiopia: a case study of the Akaki River Basin

Figures & data

Table 1. Corporate environmental policy

	My organization has an environmental policy
	Frequency	Percent	Cumulative percent
Yes	14	70.0	70.0
No	6	30.0	100.0
Total	20	100.0

Source: own survey, 2017.

Table 2. Corporate ISO accreditation

	My organization is an ISO accredited.
	Frequency	Percent	Cumulative percent
Yes	3	15.0	15.0
No	17	85.0	100.0
Total	20	100.0

Source: own survey, 2017.

Table 3. Factor(s) which triggered the company for environmental work

		Frequency
Factor(s)	The Ethiopian government	16
	Competition	3
	Self-initiation	6
	Missing system	3
	Total	28

Source: own survey, 2017.

Table 4. Effluent released from Walia Tannery to the Akaki River

Parameter analyzed	Limit value	Analysis result	Remark
Temperature, °C	40	20	In the limit
PH	6–9	7.4	In the limit
Total suspended solid, mg/L	50	635	Above limit
Sulfide (S2-), mg/L	1	1.20	Above limit
Total nitrogen (T-N), mg/L	60	325	Above limit
Total phosphorous (T-P), mg/L	10	21	Above limit
Chemical oxygen demand (COD), mg/L	500	2790	Above limit
Ammonia (NH3), mg/L	30	234	Above limit
Chloride (CL-), mg/L	1000	2625	Above limit
Phenol, mg/L	1	13.95	Above limit

Source: AAEPA, 2016, Interview.

Figure 1. Mishandled solid waste from Awash Tannery

Image credit: AAEPA, April 2016

Table 5. Waste treatment plant

	My organization has waste treatment plant in operation
	Frequency	Percent	Valid percent	Cumulative percent
Yes	11	55.0	55.0	55.0
No	9	45.0	45.0	100.0
Total	20	100.0	100.0

Source: own survey, 2017.

Figure 2. Chrome liquid waste heading toward the river without prior treatment

Image credit: The researcher, April 2017

Figure 3. Urban agriculture using badly polluted water in Akaki River Basin. Polluted water (left) and sample vegetables grown (right)

Image credit: The researcher, April 2017

Table 6. Trace metal content in vegetable leafs in Addis Ababa

	Metal content (mg/kg)
Vegetable	Cd	Cr	Cu	Hg	Ni	Zn
Cabbage	0.030	1.80	3.28	0.218	0.64	29.7
Onion	0.018	2.81	5.24	0.201	0.44	15.4
Potato	0.076	2.26	8.72	0.355	1.75	47.4
Red beet	0.057	2.87	8.92	0.142	1.47	27.3
Swiss chard	0.044	1.25	8.96	0.218	0.79	38.1

Source: Van Rooijen and Taddesse (2009).

Van Rooijen, D., and G. Taddesse 2009. “Urban Sanitation and Wastewater Treatment in Addis Ababa in the Awash Basin, Ethiopia.” 34th WEDC International Conference, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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