International Journal of Science and Healthcare Research DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijshr.20210414 Vol.6; Issue: 2; April-June 2021 Website: ijshr.com Research Paper ISSN: 2455-7587
Solid Waste Generation and Management in Yobe State, Problems and Mitigations
Gana, A. H.1
1Department of Biological Sciences, Yobe State University, Nigeria
ABSTRACT past few decades this has been a problem in the major cities of Nigeria for example, Waste management has been a serious topic of Abuja, Kano and Lagos, but other places are discussion among many countries (developed now faced with similar environmental threat and developing) over the last few decades. (Ezeah, 2010). Considering waste People’s attitude towards uncontrollable waste challenges and growing economies around generation and indiscriminate disposal of waste has increased recently, with these, some the world, countries are facing serious countries especially in Sub-Saharan-Africa have problems in their effort to curtail waste non-existent waste management policy and generation (Ezeah, 2010). Many people do institution framework. In Nigeria local not have proper understanding of their governments have the responsibility to manage attitude towards waste management in their waste at local level. During the study communities. It is difficult to define waste quantitative method was deployed, where according to many scientists, meanings were questionnaire was administered to the derived from sources, ingredients and nature respondents. 220 questionnaires were distributed (potential to cause harm) of wastes in most across the state, 100 questionnaires were filled cases (Read, 2001). However, according to with (45%) return rate. About 93% of the the Department of the Environment respondents are male and 95% of the respondents have tertiary education. The results (DEFRA, 2007; DEFRA, 2008) “waste is showed that most respondents are aware of any substance which constitute scrap waste management. 49% of the respondents material or an effluent or other unwanted dump their waste on roadsides and 63% surplus substance arising from the believed that people’s attitudes towards waste application of a process, or any substance disposal should change as it is unethical. The or article which requires to be disposed of study advocates for a holistic strategy to as being broken, worn out, contaminated or mitigate indiscriminate generation and disposal otherwise spoiled”. On the other hand, Igoni of waste in the state. Governments and et al., (2007) defined waste as, “any communities should work together in devising a material which has no value to the producer means to improve waste management. and must therefore be disposed of”.
Keywords: Waste, generation, disposal, Management of Solid waste problem, mitigation and management Globally, Solid Waste (SW) generation is rising due to growth in socio- INTRODUCTION economic parameters such as population, Solid Waste Management in many personal income and materialistic developing countries is a major acquisition (Sakurai, 1990; IPCC, 2006). environmental problem. In Nigeria, Few decades ago, waste generation in population growth, economic growth over developed countries have more than the years and rapid urbanization has made doubled (AfDB, 2002). Subsequently, Solid Waste Management difficult. In the developing countries are also experiencing
International Journal of Science and Healthcare Research (www.ijshr.com) 70 Vol.6; Issue: 2; April-June 2021 Gana, A. H. Solid waste generation and management in Yobe State, problems and mitigations. increase in Solid Waste generation, it is residents in Yobe State. The results expected that in the next few decades the provided insights on how waste is generated annual volume will increase by more than and disposed in Yobe. In this study, threefold. This is due to the changes in quantitative methods were employed, which economic status of individuals and countries was considered the most suitable method for (AfDB, 2002). According to Ezeah (2010), the empirical study. it is challenging to project and estimate the Solid Waste generated in developing Quantitative methods countries especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Quantitative research is an investigation used for testing hypothesis Management of Solid Waste in Africa based on variables. It is measured During the 1970s solid waste have numerically and analysed statistically to not been properly managed in most determine whether to reject or accept a countries of Africa, where there is non- hypothesis (Amaratunga et al., 2002) and existent policy and institutional framework. can be used to explain social phenomena In some cases, local governments have the (Bryman, 2008). Researchers choose, based main responsibility to manage waste on how accurate the method addresses their generated within their jurisdictions (AfDB, problems (Huberman and Miles, 1994). In 2002). Mostly waste management is not social science research, survey is the most considered as a priority in these local used technique and was thus used in this governments. They are mostly inadequately research. It is also used to collect opinions funded by higher authorities in places that from the sample population (Creswell, depend on the state or federal government 2014). Questionnaire survey is highly for funds. Thus, makes waste management suitable technique to collect large data-sets, in these local government authorities thus this research employed the sampling difficult, where people dispose their waste technique. Quantitative methods ideally at any convenient location (Agunwamba, involve probability sampling to enable 1998). These practices if not curtailed will statistical inferences (Creswell and Clark, lead to serious environmental nuisance and 2007). hazard in most of these communities. It is important for government to propose a Questionnaire survey policy and strategic framework to address Questionnaire surveys are widely problems of waste generation and disposal used to gather information on peoples’ in African countries. Nigeria is among the opinions and views. Questionnaires usually African countries that struggles to deal with contain close-ended questions, (e.g. waste generation due to rapid economic and ‘Yes’/‘No,’ ‘Agree’/‘Disagree,’ and a population growth and inadequate ranking scale for participants to choose institutional and policy framework (Ezeah, from. There are questionnaires that contain 2010). Thus, the need for research to assess few open questions, which give respondents communities’ attitudes toward waste free options to choose or write their opinion generation and disposal. Considering that in (Denscombe, 2007; Abubakar, 2013). Some Nigeria most waste management are studies use standardised questionnaires; expected to be handled by Local thus, adopting a standardised format of Government Authorities justifies the questions (Denscombe, 2007). Other studies importance of assessment on waste used customised questionnaires that are generation, disposal and management. adapted to the purpose of their research. There are no strict rules on how to design a METHODOLOGY questionnaire, but it is important that the A questionnaire survey was used to questionnaire addresses the research obtain field information on waste from objective(s) (Smith, 2010). In this study questionnaire was designed and
International Journal of Science and Healthcare Research (www.ijshr.com) 71 Vol.6; Issue: 2; April-June 2021 Gana, A. H. Solid waste generation and management in Yobe State, problems and mitigations. administered to respondents in the three a population of over 2.4 million people major LGAs of the state including Bade, (YBS Report, 2010). It shares boundaries Damaturu, Potiskum. Where 220 from the west with Jigawa and Bauchi questionnaires were distributed across the States, Gombe and Borno States to the state, 100 questionnaires were filled with south-east and an international boundary of (45%) return rate. SPSS statistical software 323 km with the Niger Republic to the north was used to analysis the data where (Abdullahi et al., 2006). Yobe State has 17 frequency distribution was used to Local Government Areas (LGA) (Bade, understand people attitudes towards waste Bursari, Damaturu, Fika, Fune, Geidam, generation, disposal and management in Gulani, Jakusko, Karasuwa, Nangere, some parts of Yobe State. Nguru, Potiskum, Tarmuwa, Yunusari, Gujba, Machina and Yusufari) (YBS Study area Report, 2010). Figures 1 and 2 show the Yobe State is among the 36 States of maps of Nigeria and Yobe State, Nigeria, which was created on 27 August respectively. 1991 and has a land area of 47,153 km2 with
Figure 1: Map of Nigeria and its 36 states, including Yobe State (source: Google, 2018).
Figure 2: Map of Yobe State and its 17 local government areas (source: Google, 2018).
International Journal of Science and Healthcare Research (www.ijshr.com) 72 Vol.6; Issue: 2; April-June 2021 Gana, A. H. Solid waste generation and management in Yobe State, problems and mitigations.
RESULTS showed that most respondents generate and Table 1 below is the distribution of dispose waste indiscriminately. Most gender, education status of respondents. respondents also agreed that wastes However, most respondents are male and indiscriminately disposed are unpleasant have tertiary qualification. visually and can cause health hazard. People’s attitude toward waste generation Table 1: Distribution of the respondents according to their and disposal needs to change based on the socio-demographic characteristics Gender Frequency (%) responses. However, according to some Male 93 (93%) respondents they have thought of taking Female 7 (7%) Education level action on waste management in their various Primary 2 (2%) communities. There is also no effort made Tertiary 95 (95%) Occupation by either government or NGOs to create Student 13 (13%) awareness on waste disposal and Civil servant 80 (80%) management to people. According to the Business 6 (6%) Unemployed 1 (%) respondents they dispose their waste by the road side. The table below shows the level of waste management in the state. The results
Table 2: Level of waste management among the respondents in Yobe State What do you think about how people generate and dispose waste? Indiscriminately 39(39%) Reasonably normal 14 (14%) Not good at all 35 (35%) Worse than expected 12 (12%) How do you understand waste? Nuisance 13 (13%) Unpleasant to see 41 (41%) People attitude should change 39 (39%) People attitude towards waste 7 (7%) generation and disposal is commendable What do you think of people’s behaviours /attitude toward waste generation and disposal It normal 5 (5.1%) Not normal 28 (28.3%) People attitude should change 63 (63.6%) People attitude towards waste 3 (33%) generation and disposal is commendable Have you thought about doing something about waste generation and disposal in the Yes 77 (78.6%) area? No 21 (21.4%) Has government/NGO made any effort to create awareness towards reducing waste Yes 44 (44%) generation and disposal? No 56 (56%) Are you aware of solid waste management? Yes 68 (68%) No 32 (32%) Where do you dump the solid waste generated from your home Road side 49 (49%) Taken to the incineration 1 (1%) Disposed on the site provided 1 (1%) Open dump sites 12 (12%) Where do residents of your community dump their waste? Refuse bin provided 17 (17.3%) Incinerator 13 (13.3%) On roadside 57 (58.2%) Not sure 11 (11.2%)
Table 3: Method/measures of Managing the Problem with Solid Waste Generation and disposal How do you think people will behave towards solid waste? Unethically What techniques or options do you think will improve the solid waste management? Public enlightenment on solid 39 (39%) waste disposal An effective integration of public 43 (43%) and private sector participation in solid waste disposal and management Authorities should penalize 18 (18%) individuals or groups that dispose waste wrongly Has government/NGO provided any means of waste disposal in your area e.g. bins, If yes, state what 38 (38.4%) landfill, or incinerator for disposing No 61 (61.6%)
International Journal of Science and Healthcare Research (www.ijshr.com) 73 Vol.6; Issue: 2; April-June 2021 Gana, A. H. Solid waste generation and management in Yobe State, problems and mitigations.
In table 3, many respondents CONCLUSIONS believed that people’s waste management Generally, waste management attitude is unethical and that there is a need (generation, disposal and handling) is a for public enlightenment on waste disposal serious problem that has not received the in most of their communities in order to needed attention in many parts of the world improve waste management. Government especially, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Lack has not provided infrastructure for proper of government policy and institution waste disposal in most communities. framework and inadequate infrastructure to guide and management waste is considered DISCUSSION OF RESULTS the major issues in Nigeria and particularly Waste generation and management Yobe State. Results from the survey showed has been a serious problem to many that people’s attitude on waste management developed and developing countries. This is needs to change as many observed that mainly due to changes in people’s and awareness is lacking. A holistic approach countries attitudes toward consumption, can be adopted by government at all levels economic and population growths. in the State and communities to improve However, some countries have these waste management in order to reduce problems due to inadequate waste serious health hazard and uncontrollable management infrastructure and lack of waste generation and disposal in the State. institutional framework that guides waste disposal and management. Eneji et al (2017) Acknowledgements: This is research work in their study reported that, lack of waste is fully funded and supported by the collection and disposal points in some cities Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) of Nigeria have caused serious health Nigeria, through its Institution Based problems as a result of indiscriminate waste Research (IBR) grant. disposal. This has also increased government spending on health care as a Conflict of Interest: None result of diseases caused by health hazard due to waste disposal. In India, people resort Source of Funding: None to open dumping, open burning and road side disposal which has caused serious Ethical Approval: Approved health issues in these places (Prabu, 2009). Similarly, respondents in the study area REFERENCES practice uncontrol waste disposal, which if 1. African Development Bank, AfDB (2002) not handled can cause disease outbreak in Study on solid waste management options these communities. Solid Waste for Africa. AfDB Sustainable Development Management has been identified as the and Poverty Reduction Unit, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. major challenges of the 21st Century, where 2. Agunwamba, J. C. (1998) Solid waste many countries and organisations have non- management in Nigeria: Problems and existent waste management framework. issues. Environmental Management, 22(6): There is need for proper and regulated waste 849-856. management policies and laws that would 3. Brunner, P. H. & Ernst, W. R. (1986) improve solid management especially in Alternative methods for the analysis of developing countries. Currently, Yobe State municipal solid waste. Waste Management has no proper waste management & Research, 4(2): 147-160. framework and guided policy that will assist 4. Cointreau, S. (1982) Environmental in mitigating indiscriminate waste disposal management of urban solid wastes in and management. developing countries: a project guide. Urban Development Technical Paper Number 5,
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International Journal of Science and Healthcare Research (www.ijshr.com) 76 Vol.6; Issue: 2; April-June 2021