Assessment of Environmental Problems and Methods of Waste Management in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed the environmental problems and methods of waste management in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Waste management is the collection, transportation, processing, recycling or disposal of waste materials, usually the one produced by human activities in an effort to reduce their effect on human health or on local aesthetics. Data for this study was collected from the random administration of two hundred (200) questionnaires on categories of respondents in the study area. The simple percentages and frequency table were used in analyzing the data. Results from this study showed that waste management personnel have contributed immensely to the management of waste in the area. However, they are confronted with some problems, which, if given the necessary encouragements, will be great help in the management of waste system in the area. This study will be of great help to environmentalists, planners, researches and policy makers. Introduction The problem of solid waste disposal is one of the most serious environmental problems facing many cities in Nigeria. Waste management plays an integral role in human activities. Various ways of managing solid waste includes disposal by either burying or burning, reduce or reusing, recycling and energy generation. Solid waste management differs in developing countries like Nigeria, and in industrialized countries of the world like Germany. Several factors are responsible for the differences, a good example of these are the types of waste generated in developing countries. Contreau (1982) submitted that, in developing countries, there is much high proportion of organic and considerably less plastic waste such that the large amount of organic material makes the waste denser with greater moisture and smaller particles. Another factor identified is that the technology in use in industrialized countries are inappropriate in developing countries because of the much heavier, wetter and corrosive nature of generated waste in developing countries. Lastly, developing countries, most cities are unplanned and characterized by haphazard construction of sprawling slums with narrow roads that are inaccessible to collection vehicles, (Daskalopoulos 1998).