RESIDENTS’ PARTICIPATION IN MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN ENUGU METROPOLIS NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted in Enugu metropolis, Nigeria to investigate the spatial character of residents’ participation in the various approaches to Municipal Solid Waste  management (MSWM) in the  area.  The  study adopted survey research method. Quantitative (structured questionnaire) and  qualitative (interviews and field observations) methods were employed. The researcher used simple random sampling in selecting the desired sample of 300 households for the questionnaire administration. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the data analysis. Data collected through questionnaire were analyzed and hypotheses tested using Chi-square. The study also used Binary Logistic Regression (BLR) to analyze the socio-demographic variables of the predictors of the extent of residents’ participation in MSWM.  The result of the study shows that there is prevalence of NIMBY  syndrome  in  the  area  as  majority  (62.0%)  of  the  respondents  have negative perception towards situation of dumpsters close to their residences. The residents’ participation in MSWM is mostly at household level. The result of the study  also  indicated  low  level  of  residents’  application  of  the  Integrated Approaches namely: Reduce, Resource recovery, Reuse and Recycle (the 4Rs) as only (36.3%) apply them. There is no significant relationship between residents’ perception of MSWM responsibility and the extent of their participation. The BLR analyses revealed that the extent of residents’ participation in MSWM in the study area is selective of certain socio-demographic variables namely: Gender, education and employment status which were significant. It was concluded that residents’ participation in MSWM in Enugu metropolis is affected by factors such as: poor perception and failure of the municipality to adopt modern technology, mobilize local resources  and  enforce  environmental laws.  Thus,  the  study  recommends public sensitization and mobilization, sorting of solid wastes at the source and provision of  recycling  facilities  among  others  as  keys  to  improved  residents’ participation in MSWM.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1        Background of the Study

Solid Waste Management (SWM) is a complex and burgeoning issue facing the world  (Puthur,  2007;  Amoah  and  Enoch,  2014).  It  is  far  too  critical  in  the  rapid urbanizing cities of the developing world where population growth increases much faster than the creation of necessary infrastructures particularly those of adequate SWM (World Resource  Institute, 2001; Medina, 2010). Studies have demonstrated  that inadequate Solid Waste (SW) collection and disposal is a major challenge in urban areas of developing nations (UNDP, 1997; Madu, 2001; Guerrero, Maas and Hogland, 2013). Municipal corporations of most developing countries are obviously unable to provide adequate SWM services for the population (Guerrero et al, 2013). As a result, vast uncollected solid wastes (SWs) are seen rotting in street corners causing environmental, health and aesthetic problems. In addition, uncollected SWs clog drains and storm water channels and consequently cause flooding and other environmental hazards (Medina,

2002). Basic concepts are introduced on the outset in order to enlighten the scope of this study.

Solid Wastes (SWs) refer to non- liquid materials that are discarded because they are useless to a particular person or group at a particular time. Zhu, Asnani, Zurbrugg, Anapolsky and Mani (2008) define solid waste (SW) as non- liquid material that no longer has value to the person responsible for it. In other words, SWs include: trash, garbage, rubbish, refuse, discards and throwaways arising from human activities which

enters a local system for collection and disposal. SWs can be classified into two major groups according to  type and control criteria (Kalwani, 2009).  First  we have  waste generated from Hospital and Industrial institutions which are often hazardous and are bound by law to be destroyed under special and strict controlled safe measures. The second category includes Household, Commercial and Street wastes which fall under municipal government responsibility and have common waste control methods except the highly putrefying and infectious domestic and commercial meat wastes which are treated differently.

The SWs created by various human activities must be properly disposed of in order to safeguard the environment and public health (Zurbrugg, 2003; Majumdar and Karim, 2012).  According to Zhu et al (2008) SWM includes all activities that seek to minimize health, environmental and aesthetic impacts of SWs. In other words, SWM refers to systematic control of generation, storage, collection, transportation, separation, processing, recovering and disposal of SWs (Rogdgers, 2011). Accordingly, Municipal Solid  Waste  Management  (MSWM)  involves  the  control  of  generation,  storage, collection, transportation, processing and disposal of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW).

The management of MSW is an enormous task which cannot be achieved by the exclusive use of technical approach (Wilson, 2007). A sustainable way of handling the task of MSWM involves the application of Integrated Sustainable Waste Management (ISWM) approach (Wilson, Velis and Rodic, 2010). This corroborates the assertion made by Agunwamba (1998) “that successful SWM in Nigeria require a holistic approach that will integrate all the technical, economical, social, cultural and psychological factors that

are often ignored in SWM programmes”. The Integrated approach requires organisation and   co-operation   between   stakeholders   such   as:   residents,   communities,   private enterprises and government in the selection and application of appropriate strategies for sustainable SWM. Residents’ participation in MSWM is a relevant approach in this regard (Benger, Van and Pearce, 2006). Accordingly, Ohakwe, Nnorom and Iwueze (2011) suggest that damage due to poor MSWM in Nigeria can be avoided by implementing environmentally sensitive SWM techniques through the use of best practicable environmental options involving: minimization, recovery and reuse of SWs which can only be possible by residents’ participation.

Residents’ participation is the involvement of community members in projects designed   to   solve  problems  affecting  them.  In  MSWM,  residents’  participation comprises varying degrees of involvement of the inhabitants in efforts to handle their SWs and cleanup their environment. This can range from their contribution in labour and cash to their involvement in consultation and decision making (Anschutz, 1996). Residents’ participation is a very crucial aspect of SWM and no approach to MSWM can be successful without the support of the community members particularly in the areas of solid waste (SW) storage, segregation and collection (Yamvinij, 2008). Residents’ participation in SWM has been studied in parts of the developing world and the outcome of most of the studies attest to the effectiveness of the approach. For instance, Benger, et al (2006) in a study based in Vietnam established that residents of urban communities play a very important role in the MSWM as a whole through their participation in household waste reduction and diversion, waste segregation and storage, willingness to

pay for collection services and collaboration with the MSWM crews. Through these, they reduced the amount of SWs entering the MSW stream, going to landfills or ending up in the environment.

Nigeria equally faces limitation of rapid urbanization in achieving effective MSWM. The technical end-of-pipe approaches still in use in most cities have failed to tackle the SWM problems in them. Enugu metropolis obviously has serious MSWM challenges despite the efforts of the government and its agencies in using numerous technical strategies. Therefore, there is need to investigate residents’ participation in the various approaches to MSWM as an alternative solution to the overwhelming problem of inadequate MSWM in Enugu metropolis of Enugu state, Nigeria.

1.2    Statement of the Research Problem

Waste is an unavoidable bye-product of human activities. Human living and the creation of wastes (solid or liquid) go hand in hand. Thus, the idea of eliminating waste altogether is an impracticable proposition; rather what is realistic is its management in an effective manner (Majumdar and Karim, 2012).

Solid Waste Management (SWM) is a critical problem in most of the local authorities throughout the world (Akil and Ho, 2014). The conventional approach to MSWM comprising collection, transportation and disposal of SWs have been found to be inadequate as it failed to meet the increased demands for MSWM services posed by rapid urbanization especially in developing countries. This has resulted in enormous uncollected   SWs   continuing   to   pollute   the   urban   environment   and   causing environmental, health and aesthetic problems to the residents. A sustainable way of

tackling this problem particularly in Nigeria is yet to be realized. An integrated approach to MSWM involving residents’ participation in employing reduction, resource recovery, reuse and recycling (the 4Rs) of waste strategies appear to be an alternative solution to this challenge. However, this strategy requires relevant enlightenment and mobilization of the community members to participate fully through Community Based Organisations (CBOs) for effective MSWM collection and disposal projects. It has been noted that poor education, poor income of residents, insufficient funding, social dispositions and cultural norms  are  notable  constraints  to  effective  SWM  (Igbinomwanhia  and  Ohwovoriole,

2012).

Research evidences have shown that residents of developing countries contribute to solving MSWM problems by successfully organizing themselves (within lanes, neighbourhoods,  communities  among  others)  and  forming  bodies  such  as: neighbourhood associations, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) with the objective of assisting the municipality in the efforts to achieve sustainable SWM. These associations are normally registered with the municipality and they undertake SWM programmes such as: collection, composting, recycling  and  disposal  of  SWs  (Anschutz,  1996;  Benger,  Van  and  Pearce,  2006; Yamvinij, 2008) among others. Studies have shown that such organizations abound in Asian countries notably in:  India (Selvam, 1996), Indonesia (Dessa and Judd, 2003), the Philippines (Lapid, Munez and Bongon, 2005), Bangladesh (Mohit, 2000), Sri Lanka (Bulle, 1996), Vietnam (Benger et al, 2006) Thailand (Yamvinij, 2008) among others and  in  Latin  America  notably  in  Brazil  (UWEP,  1996).    However,  while  there  is

considerable documentation on innovative community based SWM schemes involving residents’ participation in Asia and Latin American cities, a few research have been done on the importance of and potential for community based SWM involving residents’ participation in MSWM especially as it concerns their employment of the Integrated Approaches (the 4Rs) of waste in urban areas of Africa in general (Peters, 1998; Traore, Keita, Sacko and Muller, 2005; Kassim and Ali, 2006; Kalwani, 2009; Alefu, 2015) and Nigeria  in  particular  (Ofong,  2004;  Fonta,  Ichoku,  Ogujiuba  and  Chukwu,  2007; Ohakwe, Nnorom and Iwueze, 2011; Ebikapade, Omagbemi and Syed, 2015). These underlie the need to investigate residents’ participation in the MSWM of Enugu metropolis, Nigeria especially to find out if residents organize themselves to undertake SWM activities in the  study area. This  study also  analyzed  the spatial character of residents’ perception of the conventional as well as the integrated approaches to MSWM (the 4Rs). The study generated information on the socio- demographic factors which affect the extent of residents’ participation in MSWM.   The results will be used in recommending  strategies  that  would  promote  effective  residents’  participation  in MSWM for sustainable environment in urban areas of Nigeria and elsewhere.

1.3    Aim and Objectives

The aim of this research work is to investigate the spatial character of residents’

participation in MSWM in Enugu metropolis, Nigeria.

The objectives therefore are to:

1.      Characterize the present MSWM systems in Enugu metropolis.

2.      Assess the attitude and perception of the residents of Enugu metropolis towards

MSWM.

3.      Analyze the spatial character of residents’ participation in the various approaches to effective MSWM.

4.      Examine  the  socio-demographic  factors  that  affect  residents’  participation  in

MSWM of the study area.

1.4 Hypotheses

H1: There is no statistically significant difference between residents’ perception of SWM as mere collection and dumping of wastes and their perception of SWM as including Integrated Approaches (the 4Rs) of waste.

H2:  There is no  statistically  significant difference between  residents’ perception  that MSWM is the responsibility of the municipality alone or a collective responsibility of the municipality and residents.

H3:  There  is  no  statistically  significant  difference  between  residents’  perception  of having dumpsters close to their residences as safe and their perception of dumpsters close to residence as unsafe.

H4: There is no statistically significant difference between the various households’ preferred proximity (relatively near, considerably near, considerably far away, relatively far away) of dumpsites to their residence in the study area.

H5: There is no  statistically  significant difference between the various contributions (Labour, Cash, Kind, Consultation\ Decision making) made by residents to facilitate MSWM in the study area.

H6: There is no statistically significant difference between residents’ participation in SWM by employing alternative means and their participation by mere collection and dumping of wastes.

H7:  There  is  no  statistically  significant  difference  between  residents’  perception  of

MSWM responsibility and the extent of residents’ participation in MSWM.

H8: There is no statistically difference between residents’ socio-demographic characteristics and the extent of their participation in MSWM in Enugu metropolis.

1.5 The Study Area

1.5.1   Location

The  study area  is Enugu metropolis, the capital of Enugu state  Nigeria.  It is located between latitudes 6o 20` N and 6o 32`N of the equator and longitudes 7o 28`E and

7o  36`E of the Greenwich meridian.  It extends over an area of about 145.8  square

kilometres (Enugu State Ministry of Lands and Survey, 2010). The area is administered by three Local Government Authorities namely: Enugu North, Enugu South and Enugu East Local Government Areas (LGAs). Enugu metropolis is bounded in the north by Isiuzo and Igbo Etiti LGAs, in the west by Udi LGA and in the south and east by Nkanu west and Nkanu east LGAs respectively (Fig. 1)

Enugu metropolis as a geographical entity has many administrative divisions basically  into:  LGAs,  zones,  wards,  layouts among others.  Available records in  the ESWAMA main office indicates that Enugu metropolis was divided into ten (10) zones based on their SWM coverage schedule. The ten ESWAMA zones of Enugu metropolis includes: Abakpa, TransEkulu, Emene, Idaw River, GRA, Ogui, Independence Layout,

Agbani Road, Uwani and New Haven (Fig. 2). Accordingly, the ESWAMA zones and some of the wards/ layouts in each of them is shown in Table 1 and further delineated in (Fig. 3).

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