Solid Waste Management through Neibhourhood Cooperative Society in Onitsha, Nigeria

Abstract

Urban waste management, collection and disposal have always been a universal problem. Extant literatures have documented the importance of solid waste management to the urban environment. Yet the performance of the authorities charged with the responsibility of solid waste management in this respect leaves much to be desired. This paper therefore examined the possibilities of neighborhood cooperatives in urban waste management in Onitsha metropolis of Anambra state. Based on convenience and high concentration of solid waste disposal, the researchers used judgmental method to select sample size clusters of 3-3; Odoakpu; Fegge and Awada, The researchers also used simple random technique to randomly distribute twenty-five (25) questionnaires each to 25 households (One hundred (100) respondents) in the study area. Data were analyzed using simple percentage and mean, under the modified four point likert scale. From the result of the investigation, the following findings are drawn: that the various types of waste produced in Onitsha metropolis include, degradable wastes, non degradable wastes, combustible waste as well as non-degradable and non combustible wastes and average of 6146.12 tones of these wastes are produced weekly. That the challenge which such practice pose in waste disposal management in Onitsha stem from location of dumping sites from residential homes; ignorance on the part of the people; poor funding by the government and local authorities. The study therefore recommend among other things that, the Anambra state government should encourage the residents of Onitsha metropolis to form functional neighborhood cooperative societies in charge of waste disposal management in the area and subsequently extend this practice to every other part of the state.