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THE IMPACT OF SOLID WASTES IN URBAN CENTRES IN NIGERIA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page - - - - - - - - -

Approval Page - - - - - - - -

Declaration - - - - - - - -

Dedication - - - - - - - - -

Acknowledgement - - - - - - -

Abstract - - - - - - - - -

Table of Contents - - - - - - -

CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study - - - - -

1.2 Statement of the Problem - - - -

1.3 Objectives of the Study - - - - - -

1.4 Research Questions - - - - - -

1.5 Research Hypothesis - - - - - -

1.6 Significance of the Study - - - - -

1.7 Scope of the Study - - - - - -

1.8 Limitations of the Study - - - - -

1.9 Definition of Terms - - - - - -

CHAPTER TWO – REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Introduction - - - - - - -

2.2 Theoretical Framework - - - - -

2.3 Conceptual Framework - - - - -

2.4 Empirical Review - - - - - -

CHAPTER THREE – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction - - - - - - -

3.2 Research Design - - - - - -

3.3 Population of Study - - - - - -

3.4 Sample size and Sampling Techniques - - -

3.5 Method of Data Collection - - - - -

3.6 Research Instrument

3.7 Validity of the Instrument - - - - -

3.8 Reliability of the Instrument - - - -

3.9 Sampling Method - - - - - -

CHAPTER FOUR – DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Introduction - - - - - - -

4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis - - - -

4.3 Testing Hypothesis - - - - - -

CHAPTER FIVE – SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Summary - - - - - - - -

5.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - -

5.3 Recommendations - - - - - -

References - - - - - - - -

Appendix - - - - - - - -

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Solid wastes comprise all the wastes arising from human and animal activities that are normally solid, discarded as useless or unwanted. Also included are by- products of process lines or materials that may be required by law to be disposed of (Okecha 2000). Solid waste can be classified in a number of ways, on the basis of sources, environmental risks, utility and physical property. On the basis of source, solid wastes are again classified as: Municipal Solid Wastes, Industrial Solid Wastes and Agricultural Solid Wastes. Nigeria’s major urban centres are today fighting to clear mounting heaps of solid waste from their environments. These strategic centres of beauty, peace and security are being overtaken by the messy nature of over flowing dumps unattended heaps of solid wastes emanating from household or domestic or kitchen sources, markets, shopping and business centres. City officials appear unable to combat unlawful and haphazard dumping of hazardous commercial and industrial wastes which are a clear violation of the clean Air and Health Edicts in our environmental sanitation laws, rules and regulation. Refuse generation and its likely effects on the health, quality of environment and the urban landscape have become burning national issues in Nigeria today. All stakeholders concern with the safety and the beautification of our environment have come to realise the negative consequences of uncleared solid human wastes found in residential neighbourhoods, markets, schools, and central business districts in our cities. These solid wastes have become recurring features in our urban environment. It is no longer in doubt that our cities are inundated with the challenges of uncleared solid wastes. As a result, urban residents are often confronted with the hazardous impact to their collective health and safety. The hue and cry over the health consequences of exposed and fermenting rubbish have not been quantified, although their impact is noticeable, especially in times of epidemic in congested activity nuclei-civic centres, CBDS, neigbhourhoods, etc. A United Nations Report (August 2004) noted with regret that while developing countries are improving access to clean drinking water they are falling behind on sanitation goals. At one of its summit in 2000 (Uwaegbelun 2004) revealed that The World Health Organization- (WHO 2004) and United Nations International Children Education Fund- (UNICEF 2004) joint report in August 2004 that: “about 2.4 billion people will likely face the risk of needless disease and death by the target of 2015 because of bad sanitation”. The report also noted that bad sanitation – decaying or non-existent sewage system and toilets- fuels the spread of diseases like cholera and basic illness like diarrhea, which kills a child every 21 seconds. The hardest hit by bad sanitation is rural poor and residents of slum areas in fast-growing cities, mostly in Africa and Asia. In 1992, the “Earth Summit” succeeded in alerting the conscience of the world to the urgency of achieving environmentally sustainable development. The Summit asserted that if we know enough to act today, then we must also find answers to many tough conceptual and technical questions that have remained unsolved over time. It affirms that rapid urbanization in developing world if ignored can be a threat to health, the environment and urban productivity. Cities are the engines of economic growth, but the environmental implications of such growth need to be assessed and managed better. The critical and most immediate problems facing developing countries and their cities are the health impact of urban pollution that are derived from inadequate water services, poor urban and industrial waste management, as well as air pollution, especially from particulates. Among the pressing environmental and public health issues in Nigeria today is the problem of solid waste generation and disposal. The problem of solid waste is a historical one because man’s existence is inextricably linked to the generation of waste. The problem is becoming intractable as many cities in developing countries cannot keep pace with urbanization, pollution, and the increasingly concomitant generation of garbage due to changing life styles and consumption patterns. The mountainous heaps of solid wastes that deface Nigerian cities and the continuous discharge of industrial contaminants into streams and rivers without treatment motivated the federal government of Nigeria to promulgate Decree 58 for the establishment of Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) on 30 December 1988 (Federal Military Government 1988). A national policy on the environment was formed and the goals of the policy include: to secure for all Nigerians a quality of environment adequate for their health and well being; to raise public awareness and promote understanding of the essential linkages between the environment and development; and to encourage individual and community participation in environmental protection and improvement efforts (FEPA 1989). As regards the solid waste sector, the specific actions desired include collection and disposal of solid waste in an environmentally safe manner; setting up and enforcement of laws, regulations, and standards; encouragement of public participation; environment monitoring and imposition of penalties on defaulters to encourage compliance (FEPA 1989; FRN 1991). In spite of the formulation of FEPA and a national environmental policy, the environment has not been adequately protected. Interest is mainly on aesthetics, which is rarely achieved (Agunwanba 1998). Wastes collection is irregular and restricted to the major cities. Improperly sited open dumps deface several cities, thereby endangering public health by encouraging the spread of odors and diseases, uncontrolled recycling of contaminated goods and pollution of water sources (Adegoke 1989 Singh 1998). Sadly, there seems a resignation to the unremitting solid wastes build up by the relevant authorities, where such bodies exist at all. However, in reactions to the inescapable environmental impact of delay in solid wastes removal, the federal government for example, introduced the monthly environmental sanitation in the early seventies. There from the States and Local Governments were expected to take a cue and evolve their own solid wastes management (SWM) strategies based on the peculiarities of their environment. Each state had in the process of mitigating urban solid wastes, set up Wastes Management Boards (WMB) in attempts to tackle the occurrence of wastes and their hazards to society as a whole. While the unhealthy aspects of abandoned solid wastes can be contained, the more avoidable features of blocked drains, traffic impedance and floods have yet to be fully tackled. One resonant feature common in the wastes build-up and emanating environmental degradation scenarios is the high cost or capital intensive nature of its amelioration as well as tackling the solid wastes menace. It requires a lot of financial and human capital to minimize and attempt to eradicate the adverse effects of exposed and untreated solid wastes in our urban centres. It is expected that government would in due course arrive at the means to combat solid wastes and reduce their negative impact on area residents and the perception of our cities as being dirty, chaotic, and full of traces of rotting or fermenting garbage that emit odours harmful to the human body. Obviously, the timely removal of accumulated solid wastes require much more than our governments at all levels are presently engaged in. Further plans, policies and programs would need to be put on a more permanent basis in order to combat the dastardly effects of environmental degradation. Understandably, it would require effective mobilization of resources such as involving all stakeholders in regular counter measure to suppress uncontrolled solid wastes generation and irregular disposal outside city confines altogether.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Incidentally, from a pragmatic point of view, our customs and traditions have not helped in mobilizing for the environmental protection and safety; neighborhood planning; and beautification of our core activity areas. Otherwise, had there been a system of collective action to keep our surroundings clean; and with penalties enforced to bring violators to bear the brunt of their transgressions, many residents would be motivated to follow personal hygiene details for timely waste clearance. The question then is where do residents dump their wastes – especially domestic wastes? The sad conclusion is that Nigeria’s urban centres and activity nuclei are inundated with solid wastes because of inadequate preparations for their removal, especially in far away and negligible dumpsites not easily accessible. There are few or no collective household receptacles for tenants and landlords to use for regular waste control disposal. There are very few or no designated zones along neighborhood streets to dispose household wastes. In the emanating confusion, regardless of the impact of infrequent environmental sanitation exercises, urban residents dump solid wastes carelessly or haphazardly – anywhere they deem fit. Such controversial tendencies and attributes would seem incomprehensible; if we desire to live in beauteous environments. The lagoon front at Iddo-Lagos State for instance has been turned into a dump for human and all sorts of solid waste. Trucks fully loaded with feces queue up in large numbers to discharge the contents into the lagoon (Njoku 2006). Environmental experts are of the view that the implication of this practice is very grave. They believed that besides endangering the life of the fishes, dumping of human and other solid wastes into the lagoon breads a plethora of waste-borne diseases. The failure of relevant agencies to stem the tide of reckless waste dumping and littering of our cities’ infrastructure (streets and roads) and surrounding bushes indicate a clear pattern of non-enforcement or non-implementation of existing environmental sanitation laws. The result and effects have been the acceleration of urban decay and its associated tendencies; especially of flight by the upwardly mobile inner city residents to the suburbs. Aside the impact of abandoned heaps of solid wastes on the environment, one factor stands out – that is, urban decay as a social disorder. It is important to note that its eradication require new skills and technology which must be studied, understood, and implemented in order to bring about clean air and safe drinking water. Cities in Nigeria are critically affected by huge population fallouts, inadequate supplies of social amenities, and the inability of administrators to meet with the demand of expanding population clusters critically affect Cities in Nigeria. Irregular and unplanned dumping of solid wastes, especially at night, which are often in gross violation of relevant rules and regulations continue to hinder plan preparations and effective land use delineation which were expected to usher in a beautiful, clean and orderly environment. Consequently, there remains a huge gap between policy formulation, execution and implementation which exacerbate the problem of solid waste management in Nigerian Cities.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the paper is to find a solution to the high incidence of uncleared solid wastes build up in cities in Nigeria. The challenges facing relevant authorities, institutions and individuals include as follows:-

i. Avoidance of the calamitous effect of uncleared and untreated solid wastes on the urban landscape.

ii. Stemming the tide of complete blockages of drainage channels by undisposed solid wastes, which also impede traffic and cause traffic congestion.

iii. Allowing uncleared refuse heaps to cause floods and impede social mobility patterns in our cities.

iv. Allowing the high rate of solid waste build up to devalue properties in several locales in urban centres.