SANITATION PRACTICES, DISPOSAL METHODS AND AWARENESS OF HEALTH HAZARDS OF INDISCRIMINATE DISPOSAL OF ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC DEVICES AMONG STUDENTS

Abstract

The study investigated sanitation practices,  disposal methods and awareness of health hazards of indiscriminate disposal of electrical/electronic devices among students of Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka, Lagos. A descriptive survey design was employed in the study. Two hundred (200) students from four (4) schools representing fifty (50) per school were randomly sampled for the study. A structured questionnaire titled "Assessment of digital waste disposal, sanitation practices and health management among students of Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka, Lagos' was developed and used to assess responses from students. The research instrument was given face validity by lecturers in the Department of Home Economics Education. Some copies of the questionnaire were subjected to pilot testing and data obtained analyzed using Cronbach Alpha. A reliability coefficient (r) of 0.6452 obtained indicated the internal consistence of the instrument. All necessary corrections and comments were made before the main study. The researcher personally administered the questionnaires with 92.5% returns. Data were analysed using frequency, percentages and mean scores. Mean scores 2.50 and above were considered as 'Agree', while those below 2.50 'Disagree' on a scale of 4-points Likert scale. The results indicated that there are existing sanitation practices such as such as sweeping, scrubbing, regular disinfecting toilet and disposing waste into bigger refuse /waste bins among the students of FCE (T) Akoka. The students indiscriminately dispose electrical/electronic devices using wrong methods. The students are not aware of health hazard of their indiscriminate disposal of electrical/electronic devices.