1.1 Introduction
Waste disposal landfill is the compression, disposal and embankment fill of waste at appropriate sites. Landfill for the moment is easy, adjustable with lower cost than the rest of disposal methods and stands alone as the only all waste material disposal method. The method of land filling for final disposal of MSW remains a generally accepted and used method thanks to its economic advantages (Gonzalez-Valencia et al., 2016; Feng et al., 2018). 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 individuals 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.
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 andSmith 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).
Environmental degradation and biodiversity depletion are crucial and disturbing topics among environmentalist today (David, 2014). Probing into the root cause of this problem and the consequences of our actions is the first step towards reducing the rate of environmental degradation and biodiversity depletion. Humanity has always produced waste that are concluded not only the discarded bones of animals slaughter for food but the momentous increase in waste that characterized our society dates from the industrial revolution (Raymond, 2013). Waste is more easily recognized than defined. Waste is an issue that affects us all.
Disposing of waste has huge environmental impacts and can cause serious problem if not properly managed. Waste therefore needs to be disposed off in ways which will minimize its negative impacts. Gourlay (2012) defined waste as any residue from a process of production, transformation or uses any substance, material, products or generally any movable object that has been discarded. Something can become waste when it is no longer useful to the owner or it is used and failed to fulfill it's purpose (Gourlay, 2012). Solid waste according to Miller (2008) is any useless, unwanted or discarded material that is not liquid or gas.
The Longman dictionary of contemporary English defined waste as unnecessary materials, in a house or environment not fit for use. The oxford advanced learners dictionary defines waste as worthless material, rubbish from kitchen, garden or factory, etc that are regularly disposed off. Waste has also been defined by Okocha (2010) as any unwanted material or substances that are harmful to man and his environment which are left or discarded after use. Also included are-by-product lines or materials required by law to dispose off. As a result of the increase in urban development in Nigeria, the country has experienced high growth rate, in terms of increase in population in urban areas and expansion in its major cities.
This increasing population has led to continuous increase in human activities which has led to the increase in the amount of waste generated and deposited in the environment (Baird, 2010). These wastes include: food remnants, plastics, polytene, Carbon dioxide, car fumes, industrial waste etc. The increasing generation of waste coupled with the inabilities of the public sectors to provide a suitable means of proper disposal has created an unhealthy situation in which waste are dumped indiscriminately without thoughts to its effect on man and the environment (Vidal, 2010).
According to Janice (2017), the continued increase in population and the consequent increase in waste generation without a corresponding increasing proper waste disposal facilities, has led to a situation in which the waste disposal facilities available can no longer cater for the increasing population, spaces provide for disposal are limited and areas designated for disposal can no longer accommodate these waste most towns and cities have very poor facilities for waste management and in some case only few disposal facilities are available for people to dispose off waste (Onorkarhoraye, 1994). This shows that there has been a poor attitude towards proper waste management both on the part of the government and the people.
Developing countries such as Nigeria has been epitomized by rampaging natural forces, man's insatiable demand for ever dwindling resources and worsened by an increasing but uncontrolled surge in population growth especially in Nigerian cities (Raymond, 2013). The world may indeed be a beautiful planet, but it is in ever constant danger of destruction and despoliation by nature and man. An unfortunate paradox can however be recognized here, in that while the developed countries of the world are able to effectively combat the destructive physical impacts of their immediate environment due to their access to technology and resources, the developing countries are almost totally at the mercy of nature with very low institutional capacity to respond to environmental threats (Omofonmwan and Osa-Edoh, 2008). Vast lands are lost annually to sea incursion, gully erosion and desertification in developing countries, problems which are being effectively managed in most developed countries (John, 2013).
Infact, in actual sense, waste is generated everyday at a very high level, ranging from fumes generated from cars, generators, power plants and even to industrial waste. This has led to environmental and atmospheric pollution and degradation. This has also led to a situation in which more waste that can be evaluated is created. Waste management could be referred to as the collection, transfer and recycling of waste (Vidal, 2010). The importance of proper waste disposal cannot be over emphasized. Proper waste disposal prevents health problems that improper waste management poses to the environment. Sachets and sachets from uncollected and decomposed garbage can contaminate underground water (UNCHS, 2008). And these have enormous health complications in the urban areas. Olu (2010), observed that when waste are not properly controlled, it causes environmental problems such as blocking of channels of urban streams and rivers major traffic road paths, and at the same time causing health problems like making dysentery etc. it is against this background that this study is conducted to explore the Potential Hazards of Waste Disposal and Landfill in the area under study, Ethiope East L.G.A of Delta State.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that environmental issues such as indiscriminate dumping of solid waste and improper waste management will continue to cause health problems and environmental degradation (Janice, 2017). The destructive processes are not only continuous but are increasing both in quantum and in rate. While some of the impacts such as loss of biodiversity might be gradual, there are hosts of communities around the world today that are being consumed by indiscriminate waste dump etc., with loss of aquatic lives and billions of dollars worth of properties being lost due to environmental degradation (Kaka, et al, 2010).
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 explore the Potential Hazards of Waste Disposal and Landfill. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To determine the various types and methods of waste materials reaching the landfill in the area under study;
- To investigate the factors responsible for the high rate of waste generation in the area under study;
- To examine the Potential Hazards of Waste Disposal and Landfill in the area under study;
- To investigate the effects landfill pollution can generate on human health and the environment; and
- To suggest possible solutions to the problems of improper waste disposal and employ suitable methods of disposing wastes in the area under study.
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:
- What are the various types and methods of waste generated in the area under study?
- What are the factors responsible for the high rate of waste generation in the area under study?
- What are the Potential Hazards of Waste Disposal and Landfill in the area under study?
- What effects landfill pollution can generate on human health and the environment?
- What are the problems of improper waste disposal and employ suitable methods of disposing wastes in the area under study?
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