Waste Management Practices in South-West Nigeria: Impact and Mitigation

Increase in population and industrial manufacturing practices often results in increased waste generation. The rapidly increasing population within the western part of Nigeria, without commensurate infrastructural and developmental provisions has contributed to the lowering of standards of living and increase in poverty. Due to the impact that the generation of large volumes of waste by individuals and industrial outfits are having on the environment and public health, it becomes imperative to examine the impact of waste and how to mitigate it. The study area is comprised of 6 States out of the 36 States in Nigeria. With a growth rate of 3 %, the study area is estimated to have a current population of 35 million (accounting for about 20% of the total Nigerian population) within a land area of 80, 125 Km2. Several sites were visited to examine the waste management practices, assess the impact on the environment and assess mitigating steps being taken to counter the adverse impact of wastes in the area. Also, public opinions were sought on who should be responsible for the management of the wastes. The results show the rapidly increasing population within the western part of Nigeria, poor policy implementation practices and inadequacy of waste management infrastructure are recipes for environmental disaster in this densely-populated part of Nigeria. Water quality issues resulting from the waste have also been documented to have serious health effect on public health. Waste from the industries play significant role in the amount of wastes generated. The plausible solution would include some public enlightenment and education of the young people on protecting their environment. The involvement of all stakeholders will be needed to solve the negative environmental impact of waste management practices in Nigeria