1.1 Introduction
Solid waste management is the most pressing environmental challenge faced by urban and rural areas of Nigeria. Nigeria, with population exceeding 170 million, is one of the largest producers of solid waste in Africa. Despite a host of policies and regulations, solid waste management in the country is assuming alarming proportions with each passing day. Urban Solid Wastes commonly known as trashes or garbages are wastes consisting of everyday items we consume and discard. It predominantly includes food wastes, yard wastes, containers, product packaging, and other miscellaneous inorganic wastes from residential, commercial, institutional and industrial resources. Solid waste management which was relatively bearable in some urban area like Enugu, Lagos, Onitsha, Port-Harcourt, Abeokuta etc. has become impossible now especially with the growing of urbanization. Rural-urban migration and sitting of building and other infrastructure in areas designated as solid waste disposal points.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Solid waste comprises all the waste arising from the human and animal activities that area normally solid, discarded as useless or unwanted (Asomani et al. 2008). It also includes by production of process, lines or material that may be required by law to be disposed. Solid waste can be classified on the basis of resources, environmental, risk, utility and physical property (Buckle and Smith 2000). On the basis of resource, solid waste can also be classified as municipal solid waste, industrial solid waste and agricultural solid waste (Burkart K 2010).
Waste can be categories based on material such as plastic, paper, glass, metal and organic waste. Categories may also be based on hazard potential including radioactive, flammable, infectious, toxic or non- toxic categories may also pertain to the organic of waste such as industrial, domestic, commercial, Institutional or construction and demolition regardless of the origin, content or hazard potential, solid waste must be managed systematically to ensure environmental best practices. As solid waste management is a critical aspect of environmental hygiene, it needs to be incorporated into environmental planning (Iwuala, 2012). Green Economy;
Nigeria major urban centers are today fighting to dear mounting heaps of solid waste from their environment. These strategic center of beauty, peace, and security been overtaken by the messy nature of overflowing dumps, unattended heaps of solid waste emanating from household or domestic or kitchen sewers, market, shopping and business centre city officials, appear unable to combat unlawful and haphazard dumping of hazardous commercial and industrial waste which are a clear violation of the air and health edits in our environmental sanitation, laws, rules. Refuse generated and it likely effects on the health, quality of environment and the urban landscape have become burning national issues in Nigeria today. All the stakeholders concern with the safety and the beautification of our environment have come to realize the negative consequences of endeared solid human waste found in the residential neighborhood, market, schools and central business district in our cities. These solid waste have become a re-occurring feature in our cities or urban environment, it is no longer a doubt that our cities are in undated with the challenges of endeared solid waste (Imam, A Mohammed, B Wilson, DC, AND Cheesman). As a result, urban resident is often confronted with hazard impact of collective health and safety.
Therefore, in Abeokuta South Local Government Area where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Problem of Solid Waste Management in Nigeria.
1.3 Statement of Problems
The problem of Solid Wastes and its effect on the quality of underground water is now the focus of attention all over the world. The problem of waste generation in the country in the recent past had been quite tremendous, necessitating the need for this project.
In fact, the presence of wastes scattered all over cities and towns and even in our institutions of higher learning is a threat to health and embarrassment to the pleasant standard expected of these areas. The menace of Solid Waste generation is most prominent in developed and industrialized countries; this is because complexity of generated waste is directly proportional to development in science and technology. Construction and operation of land filling material, recovery system, and incineration systems have become very costly.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Problem of Solid Waste Management in Nigeria using Abeokuta South L.G.A. in Ogun State as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To know the physical, chemical and biological effect of Solid Wastes on underground water and determine the amount of wastes within the study areas.
- To determine the Health Implication of Solid Waste Management in Abeokuta South Local Government Area in Ogun State
- To identify factors that affects waste disposal and the type of solid waste disposal system that will aid economic development of the state.
- To inform the people on the hazard and result of wastes on their health from drinking underground water especially those that are very close to the dumping areas in other to prevent untimely death.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Are there significant affecting waste disposal and the type of solid waste disposal system that will aid economic development of the state?
- What are the physical, chemical and biological effect of Solid Wastes on underground water and determine the amount of wastes within the study areas?
- What are the Health Implication of Solid Waste Management in Abeokuta South Local Government Area in Ogun State?
- To what extent does waste generation and disposal have impact on the socio-economic development of Abeokuta South?
1.6 Significance of Study
The study will be relevant to policy makers and implementers will benefit immensely from this study especially from its finding and recommendations. It would help stimulating indiscriminate disposal of solid waste.
It would also act as a catalyst for debates on the effects of solid waste disposal and this will facilitate further research on the topic, thereby unraveling the reason behind the indiscriminate disposal of solid waste in Nigeria.
1.7 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Problem of Solid Waste Management in Nigeria using Abeokuta South L.G.A. in Ogun State as a case study.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
