Household Solid Wastes: Collection and Disposal Methods in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

Abstract

Objectives: This study was to assess the composition and quantity of solid wastes and their collection and disposal methods in Abuja Municipal Area Council, Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. Method: A total of 420 well-structured questionnaires (in English language) were administered to consenting participants to obtain information on methods of waste collection and disposal. Secondary data such as waste characteristics and types generated were collected from the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) records from January to December 2020. Results: Proportion of solid wastes generated in AMAC were in the order Food and other organic wastes, Papers, water sachets, plastics, metals, glass and textiles, 46.23%, 20.27%, 13.23%, 8.53%, 4.88%, 4.37% and 2.45% respectively. On waste collection, significant 55.71% proportion of the respondents choose government-approved bins, 25.23% use household items while 19.04% employed commercial waste collectors (X2 = 32.5454, df= 12, P= 0.00113). An insignificant 47.4% of the respondents in the study claimed to patronize only government approved dumpsites in disposing off their household wastes, 24.5% at any available open spaces while 24.3% dumped their wastes in their private backyards, 3.80% disposed the wastes in drainages (X2 = 18.8314, df= 18, P= 0.4022). Conclusion: This study successfully achieved the objective for which it was set. This study successfully assessed the composition and quantity, collection and disposal methods of waste generated in AMAC, FCT, Nigeria.