ABSTRACT
Wastes recycling and re-use have multiple
socioeconomic and environmental benefits that have not been adequately examined in Nigeria,
especially in an area such as Zaria, Kaduna
State. The objectives of this research are to:
examine the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of waste management
entrepreneurs; identify the sources and destinations of recyclable municipal
solid waste; analyse the quantity of waste materials (metal scraps, plastics
and cans) recovered, reused and transported for recycling; identify the type of
uses recyclable materials are put into in the study area; and examine the
socioeconomic benefit of waste recycling and reuse. A total of 252 scrap
metal/plastic collectors, scavengers and artisanal recyclers‘ were studied
using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Tables, percentages, charts
and multiple linear regression techniques were used for the analysis. The
results showed that majority of the waste collectors within the twelve
localities of Zaria were less than 20 years old. Generally, the low educational
level of the respondents indicates that formal educational qualification is not
a major determinant of being an actor in this type of business. Cans and
aluminium, scrap metal, assorted plastics, are the major materials that attract
waste entrepreneurs in Zaria. about 71.8% of waste collectors collect waste
from multiple sources and majority of the waste actors about 61.5% collect less
than 100 kg of valuable waste materials every week. Products produced by
artisanal recyclers from cans and scrap Aluminium includes majorly pots and
frying pan. A relatively high proportion (56.7%) of plastic collectors disposes
the assorted plastics to those involved in reuse like, bottling of locally made
drinks (Zobo and Kunu), traditional herbs and honey. The average monthly income
for about 43.3% was above N16, 000. 00 which is quite better compared
with the Nigerian minimum wage standard. Also all the respondents claimed that no
harmful solid substances were released into the environment as a result of
artisanal recycling activity. Further, about 30% of waste management
entrepreneurs are employers of labour, with 13.5% having more than 6 employees.
The multiple regression analysis revealed that the number of people employed in
waste business and quantity of waste collected have significant impact on their
income with coefficients of 0.343 and 0.360 respectively, while the coefficient
of multiple determination (R2) indicate a total variation of 42.5% at 5% level of significance.
However, challenges militating against waste recycling in Zaria include lack of
a functional recycling plant; price fluctuation and the cost of conveying
recyclables to recycling plants outside the study area among others.
It is concluded that solid waste recycling and re-use activities
contribute more to alternative waste management than the government owned
agencies in the study area. Their activities in sustainable waste management
should be incorporated into the state environmental protection agency
institutional framework.
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO
THE STUDY
Cities are at
the nexus of a further threat to the environment, namely the production of an
increasing quantity and complexity of wastes. The estimated quantity of
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generated worldwide is 1.7 – 1.9 billion metric
tons.2 In many cases, municipal wastes are not well managed in developing
countries, as cities and municipalities cannot cope with the accelerated pace
of waste production. Waste collection rates are often lower than 70 per cent in
low-income countries. More than 50 per cent of the collected waste is often
disposed of through uncontrolled landfilling and about 15 per cent is processed
through unsafe and informal recycling.
Municipal
Solid Waste Management 2 As a Mayor, you may have to face challenging waste management
decisions addressing issues that require immediate attention as well as
potential issues that require strategic and integrated planning and
implementation. Establishing and improving facilities for collection,
recycling, treatment and disposal for MSW management can be very costly. For
example, building and operating sanitary landfills and incineration plants
require huge investments and incur substantial operation and maintenance costs.
Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable locations
for waste treatment facilities due to the prevalence of the Not In My Backyard
(NIMBY) attitude amongst communities.
Meanwhile, if
waste is growing at 3-5 per cent a year and rural-urban migration increases a
city’s population at a similar rate, then a city’s waste generation will double
every 10 years.4 Urban managers are therefore encouraged to pursue the paths of
Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) and Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3Rs)
that place highest priority on waste prevention, waste reduction, and waste
recycling instead of just trying to cope with ever-increasing amounts of waste
through treatment and disposal. Such efforts will help cities to reduce the
financial burden on city authorities for waste management, as well as reduce
the pressure on landfill requirements. We live in a world of increasing
scarcity. Raw materials from natural resources are limited, financial resources
are often insufficient, and securing land for final disposal is getting more
difficult.
Clearly, city
authorities should set policy directions aiming for resource efficient,
recycle-based society if they are to provide a clean, healthy and pleasant
living environment to its citizens for current and future generations. Although
waste management responsibilities primarily lie with cities and municipalities,
many of the successful cases in waste management involve a wide range of
stakeholders in their implementation, as can be seen in the case studies cited
here. This gives a clear message to cities and municipalities that they should
not try to do everything by themselves. Rather, the key to success is to do
what they are good at, and collaborate with other sectors in the society, such
as private sector, communities and in some cases with the informal sector, in
the interest of expanding waste management services and improving efficiency
and effectiveness.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
In the pursuit of sustainable
waste management, the prevention of waste generation is the first priority,
followed by waste recovery and safe disposal of waste on the hierarchy of
principles for waste management (Figure 1.1). These principles need to be put
in practice through joint waste prevention and management measures if growing
environmental degradation is to be avoided. For example, the use of valuable
land for waste disposal, the release of harmful substances from landfills and
waste transports into air, soil and water, and the use of resources that are
transformed into disposed waste instead of being reused or recycled will all
have negative impacts on the environment, and will have a long-lasting direct
and indirect influences on the quality of life (European Urban Waste Management
Cluster (EUWMC), 2005).
It is known that there have
been some local methods by which solid wastes were been reused or recycled. The
knowledge of waste recycling and reuse might not be totally new in the Nigerian
context. Rather, it is the current sophistication involved that is rather new.
Waste facilities in developing countries are minimal, but substantial
quantities are diverted for recycling (Tajuddeen, 2003). So there was this
reuse culture that has been planted in to Nigerians subconsciously. Every item
used were structured for reuse. Even today, the sachets of ―pure water‖ are
used by horticulturists for flower nursery and paper wrappers are reused. The
reuse tradition is what makes old newspapers useful for wrapping roasted
groundnut ( Arachis hypogea Linn) and pop corn (guguru) or
akara, the popular fried beans cake. Apart from the fact that the reuse
culture saves lots of money, it is highly conservative resulting in waste
management (Ajibade, 2005).
In spite of the enormous
benefits associated with sustainable waste management strategies such as recycling
and reuse, only a handful of countries are able to put them into practice. For
instance, most of the economically developed countries are still unable to
recycle much of their waste (Anthony, 2009). Besides, growing land scarcity and
stricter environmental standards now make it difficult for many rich cities to
find adequate and suitable disposal sites for the large volumes of waste being
generated by their urban populations (Pacione, 2005; Charzan, 2002).
Hardoy, et. al., (2001)
researched on environmental problems in an urbanizing world and estimates that
between one third and one half of all solid waste generated in Third World
cities remains uncollected and the collection rate could be as low as 10 – 20
percent in some cases. Depicting a similar picture of the problem, Cointreau
(2001), has estimated that in some cases, up to 60 percent of solid waste
generated within urban centres in poor countries remains uncollected and
such refuse accumulates on waste lands and streets, sometimes to the point of
blocking roads. Moreover, uncontrolled solid waste disposal can also cause
environmental problems like traffic congestion on the streets and roads,
municipal floods when dumped on waterways, etc. (Lawal, 2011).
According to Solomon (2009), in
his study on the state of solid waste management in Nigeria; it is estimated
that an average Nigerian generates about 0.49kg of solid waste per day with
households and commercial centres contributing almost 90% of total urban waste
burden. Little information exists on industrial, agricultural and biomedical
waste profiles. As with most developing countries, a greater percentage of
solid waste composed of organic matter, but recently there has been a marked
increased in the amount of plastic wastes generated in Nigeria (Solomon 2009).
Adeyemi et. al., (2001)
examined the role of waste scavengers in the waste recycling process in Ilorin,
Nigeria. Using plastic waste as an example, it was demonstrated that such
recycling is economically viable. The preliminary findings indicate that,
scavengers who operate in the informal sector have contributed significantly
towards the provision and separation of recyclables for the recycling
industries. Scavenging is a source of employment to poor people. They finally
recommended that, the waste scavenger could be incorporated formally into the
recycling process. Ado (1998) studied the economic importance of solid wastes in
Kano metropolis. The findings showed that on the average scavengers that buy
recyclables from households generate an income that is equivalent to 50% of the
cost of purchase (e.g. for each recyclable they bought at N1.00, they
would get 50k as profit).
Nzeadibe‘s (2006) study on
―Cash for Trash‖, asserts that waste recycling system in Nsukka region is run
by the informal sector. This is because statutory measures for achieving improved recycling rates are non-existent in Nigeria. As a result,
households and businesses can neither be compelled to achieve higher recycling
targets nor enforce compliance. Also, because no formal resource recovery
programmes exist, residents neither have the incentive nor do they see the need
to recycle their wastes.
The foregoing review
demonstrates that waste to wealth has multiple socioeconomic and environmental
benefits yet it has not been systematically examined in Zaria. The dearth of
such work is an important research gap needed to be urgently filled. The
research questions posed are as follows:
i.
What are the socio-economic and
demographic characteristics of waste management entrepreneurs (WMEs) in the
study area?
ii.
What are the sources and
destinations of recyclable Municipal Solid Waste, in Zaria metropolis?
iii.
What is the quantity of waste
materials (metal scraps, plastics and cans) recovered, reused and transported
for recycling?
iv.
What type of uses are the recyclable
materials put into?
v.
What are the socioeconomic benefits
of waste management to waste management entrepreneurs (WMEs) in the study area?
1.3 STUDY
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of the study is to
evaluate the potential for solid waste recycling /re-use as an alternative to waste
management strategies in Zaria metropolis to create wealth and promote a
sustainable environment. The specific objectives are to:
i.
examine the socio-economic and
demographic characteristics of waste management entrepreneurs (WMEs) in the
study area
ii.
identify the sources and
destinations of recyclable Municipal Solid Waste, in Zaria metropolis;
iii.
analyse the quantity of waste
materials (metal scraps, plastics and cans) recovered, reused, transported for
recycling.
iv.
identify the type of uses recyclable
materials are put into in the study area.
v.
examine the socioeconomic benefits
of waste management to waste management entrepreneurs (WMEs) in the study area.
1.4 JUSTIFICATION
FOR THE STUDY
There are several reasons for
continuous research on waste problem at local, national and global levels.
Firstly, the earth‘s natural resources are fast dwindling, hence the need to
conserve the resources. Reuse and recycle are some of the conservation means
for sustainable natural resource management, including municipal solid waste.
This is the environmental justification for this study. Also, this study will
provide evidence on the volume of wealth/job created from managing municipal
solid waste (MSW) that can be used for future development planning in the area
of employment generation. Evidence from other countries such as Germany,
Australia and the US demonstrate how significant job creation at the local
level has been achieved through high recycling rates, thus supporting new
business formation (Mayor of London, 2003).
In terms of contribution to
knowledge on solid waste and urban environmental management, findings of the
study will form a base knowledge for researchers interested in that area. It is
hoped that this work will contribute to finding a sustainable way of handling
scrap metal, can and plastic waste menace in Zaria with adaptive
implications for the whole country and beyond.
1.5 SCOPE
AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to
evaluate the potential for solid waste recycling and reuse as a management
strategy to create wealth and promote a sustainable waste management. The
spatial scope of this work are localities in Zaria which include; Samaru,
Palladan, Basawa, Gyllesu, Muchia, Chikaji, Wusasa, Dogarawa, Sabon-Gari, Tudun
Wada, Gaskiya and Zaria city. The areas were chosen based on the prominence of
collection points. By indication, Zaria as used in this study comprises Zaria
and Sabon-Gari Local Government Areas (LGAs), with four (4) districts namely;
Zaria city district, Tudun Wada district, Sabon-Gari district and Samaru
district.
This study will therefore
examine recovery, recycling and reuse of MSW. The focus will be limited to
scrap metal, plastic bottles and cans; since they are the items that are
majorly recovered by the entrepreneurs. The temporal scope for the field work
was limited to one month (i.e. from second week of November to first week of
December 2012).
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