1.1 Introduction
Solid 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)
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 Management comprises all the waste arising from the human and animal activities that area normally solid, discarded as useless or unwanted (Asomani Boaleng R.and Haight, M 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).
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 Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Waste Management and its Effect on the Environment and Human Health in Oka Community.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Waste management which was relatively bearable in some urban area like Enugu, Lagos, Onitsha, Port-Harcourt 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. Furthermore, the proliferation of public and private school, hospitals and eating houses generate more than 95% of the refuse within the urban centre problem with the disposal of solid waste in those urban areas especially in Enugu could be eras to the late 70 when rural poverty increased which cause high rural-urban migration. Rapid urban growth in Nigeria accompanied by increasing population, traffic congestion, air and water pollution, capital production of solid waste disposal, and non-available of places designated for solid waste disposal. In the absence of a regular and efficient solid waste collection system, waste is dump in open spaces in access roads and along water courses, which constitute health hazards. In most parts of urban areas, there are no public facilities for disposing refuse within reasonable distance. Dumping sites or waste bins are non- existence and where dumps are sited overflows with refuse constituting health fire hazard.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Waste Management and its Effect on the Environment and Human Health in Oka Community. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To ascertain the current state of waste disposal in Oka Community
- To examine the effect of waste disposal on environment and human health in Oka Community
- To identify factors that affects waste disposal and the type of solid waste disposal system that will aid economic development of the state.
- To determine whether improper disposal has any significant impact on economic sustainability.
- To assess how improved sustainable waste disposal practices can contribute to economic development process in Oka Community.
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:
- Does improper disposal of waste have any significant impact on environmental sustainability in Oka Community?
- What is the current state of waste disposal in Oka Community?
- To what extent does waste generation and disposal have impact on the socio-economic development of Oka Community?
- What are the factors that influence waste management and what type of waste management system will aid the economic development in Oka Community?
- To what extent can sustainable waste disposal practices contribute to the environment and human health in Oka Community?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
- H0: There is no statistically significant relationship between waste disposal and socio-economic sustainability in Oka Community
- H1: There is a statistically significant relationship between waste disposal and socio-economic sustainability in Oka Community
1.7 Significance of Study
Academic Significance: The researcher while embarking on this research work has so many people in mind; they include the student, lecturers as well as all education institution. This research would add to their knowledge. 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 Oka Community and Nigeria in general.
This work will serve as a guide and reference material to the up-coming researchers both in the field of urban and regional planning and in other related fields. It would be an additional block placed on- going constitution of the building of knowledge.
Practical Significant: This work is not confirmed solely to the students within their academic environment. It would enable the individual members of the society to become increasingly conscientizen on the impending danger of indiscriminate disposal of solid waste in the area of Oka Community and Nigeria at large.
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.
1.8 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Waste Management and its Effect on the Environment and Human Health in Oka Community in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, Edo State.
1.9 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, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
- Hazardous Wastes: These are wastes that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or environments
- Aquifers: These are underground layers of porous rocks or sand that allows the movement of water between layers of non-porous rocks (sand stone, gravel or fractured lime stone or granite).
- Waste Prevention: It is the method of eliminating waste at source and reducing the demand on natural or origin resources.
- Waste Re-Use: It is the method of using a waste product from one process as a raw material to form another.
- Waste Recycles: This is the method of breaking down the waste items into raw material.
