Practice, Pattern and Challenges of Solid Waste Management in Onitsha Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Despite efforts at making municipal solid waste management (MSWM) effective, one key challenge faced by the state and local environmental protection agencies in Nigeria has been inconsistencies in the pattern of solid waste management by households. Objective: To determine the practice, pattern and challenges of solid waste management in Onitsha Metropolis. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study of 425 households in Onitsha Metropolis, selected using multistage sampling technique was done. Quantitative data was collected by interview using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire and analysed using computer Graph Pad Prism version 5.3. Tests of statistical significance were carried out using ANalysis Of Variance followed by multiple comparison done using post hoc Tukey’s HSD (honestly significant difference) test. A p value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Qualitative data was obtained using key informant interviews. Results: The mean age of the respondents is 36.84±12.21years. Whereas 244 (57.4%) use government facilities / services, 47 (11.1%) dump theirs on streets and drainages. Two hundred and ninety five (60.90%) practice some form of waste segregation. There were statistically significant differences between the areas of residence and household solid waste disposal personnel (p<0.05), patterns of solid waste disposal (p<0.05) and solid waste separation (p<0.05) respectively. Conclusions: The study revealed poor waste management practices as well as some relationship between area of residence and waste disposal personnel, pattern of waste disposal and waste separation respectively. Strategies for improving the MSWM in Onitshaare thus suggested.