FEASIBILITY STUDY ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN PORT HARCOURT METROPOLIS: CAUSES, EFFECT AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Abstract

The accumulation of refuse on any place or environment creates fertile breeding ground for rodents, flies, which are disease vectors and also affect the aesthetics of the place, this in turns poses health hazard to the public. In this study, solid waste management in Port Harcourt Metropolis, it causes, effect and possible solutions ranging from waste generation, storage, segregation, collection, treatment and disposal has been investigated. Primary and secondary sources of investigation were used to obtain the required data for the study. Dump sites within the Port Harcourt Metropolis were also visited for proper evaluation and on the spot assessment. It was observed that the conventional waste management system is still being used instead of the integrated solid waste management system (1SWMS) and that about 75% of the storage facilities in the city are sub-standard and insanitary with no color coded containers for different kinds of waste. Results shows that the composition of waste generated included garbage (41%), paper and plastic (35%), scrap metal (15%), construction waste (4%), sludge (3%), expired chemical waste and drugs (2%) and collection of solid waste at open space transfer station account for about 70%. These shows poor solid waste management approach and the consequences ranges from aesthetic degradation to pollution of the environment hence the use of solid waste management professionals and sanitarians is recommended.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v36i1.33