| The term waste management, in all its ramifications | | | | Based on observation, waste management problem in |
| encompasses all steps taken in controlling the | | | | most of Nigerian communities is multidimensional in |
| production, storage, collection, transportation, | | | | nature. It is associated with lack of community |
| processing and disposal or utilization of wastes, in a | | | | participation in solid waste management. Most of |
| sanitary manner. | | | | policies concern this issue are made without |
| Practically, there are just two methods- those that | | | | considering the community people who are the |
| are environmentally friendly e.g sanitary or engineered | | | | waste generators. For instance, in a study conducted |
| landfill and composting, and those that are not, | | | | at Orita- Aperin communities in the year 2004 by the |
| including incineration, stream dumping and open | | | | author, it was found out that attitudes and belief of |
| burning. Other existing methods include: petrification, | | | | community people affected their waste management |
| bailing, land burial and pyrolysis, just to mention a few. | | | | practices. |
| Also of all the listed methods above only the sanitary | | | | Also, in Nigerian context, waste disposal is normally |
| landfill, stream dumping and land burial are permanent | | | | seen by the municipal government as a venture |
| waste disposal systems while the others are just | | | | without any financial gain. That is, the issues of |
| waste treatment i.e. meant to reduce the waste | | | | environmental protection and healthful living are not |
| volume. | | | | very important to some health planners. In addition to |
| In Nigeria, especially in major urban centres, solid | | | | this, the question of whose responsibility is to take |
| waste management is a critical problem. In fact, | | | | care of waste generated in a community has not |
| Nigerian Government has taken different steps in the | | | | been clearly answered. Unless in some civilized areas, |
| past to combat the problem without success. You | | | | many people do not realized that they are liable to |
| don't need to look far before you see mountain of | | | | the disposal of wastes generated by them as they |
| refuse in most of urban centres. Earlier on, the step | | | | dump them by the road side for government |
| taken was based on waste disposal on some | | | | workers to pick up! |
| designated landfills (that were not sanitary because | | | | The question remains where to start best. First and |
| they were not constructed with underlain (LDPE) to | | | | fore most, the state Government and some |
| prevent leachate problem). This system i.e. one-fits-all | | | | Non-Governmental Organizations that deal with |
| does not work again because of increase in | | | | environment should take up continuing education and |
| population and urbanization that affect the land use | | | | awareness campaign in the communities, concerning |
| pattern. Then, when and where the municipal | | | | proper solid waste management. This should be |
| government cannot cope with waste collection and | | | | followed by stringent sanction and heavy penalty for |
| disposal successfully, people resolve into waste | | | | the deviants and offenders. The current method of |
| dumping into storm water, during the rainfall, open | | | | waste collection and disposal by the Government |
| dumping and stream dumping. Also, solid wastes | | | | should be immediately reversed to the new option |
| generated in the country are characterized by a high | | | | been campaigned for in the recent time. This is |
| percentage (60-80%) of organic materials. This gives | | | | waste- to -wealth or thrash - to - treasure through |
| the wastes high density and makes them very | | | | recycling and community participation. This new |
| attractive to flies, cockroaches, rats and other | | | | concept is popularly known as Integrated Solid |
| vermin.. | | | | Waste Management (ISWM). |