Impact of inadequate urban planning on municipal solid waste management in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the impact of inadequate urban planning on municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in the Niger Delta Region (NDR) of Nigeria. The continuous migration and high concentration of people, administration and industrial activities in the region with little or no implementation of urban planning procedures during the development of the settlements in the region has contributed to increase the problem of MSWM in the NDR. It is not uncommon to see streets, roads, undeveloped plots of land and drains littered with solid waste in most Niger Delta cities, towns and communities. The data for this research were gathered from field surveys, observations, questionnaires as well as desktop information from published materials. Chi-Square statistical method was used in the analysis of the correlation data. The results show that there is a strong relationship between inadequate waste collection and the existence of unplanned settlements in the region. The study also revealed that indiscriminate waste disposal is strongly linked with the existence of unplanned settlements in the NDR of Nigeria. Therefore, the implementation of urban planning procedures and inclusion of waste management during the building and development of cities, towns and villages in the Niger Delta should be taking as a matter of high priority if cities in the region are to be clean and free from wastes and environmental pollution.