Waste can be divided into many different types. The most common methods of classification is by their physical, chemical and biological characteristics. One important classification is by their consistency. Solid wastes are waste materials that contain less than 70% water. This class includes such materials as household garbage, some industrial wastes, some mining wastes, and […]
Need for proper waste disposal in Nigeria
Waste can be divided into many different types. The most common methods of classification is by their physical, chemical and biological characteristics. One important classification is by their consistency. Solid wastes are waste materials that contain less than 70% water. This class includes such materials as household garbage, some industrial wastes, some mining wastes, and oilfield wastes such as drill cuttings. Liquid wastes are usually wastewater that contain less than 1% solid. Such wastes may contain high concentrations of dissolved salts and metals. Sludge is a class of waste between liquid and solid. They usually contain between 3% and 25% solid, while the rest of the material is water dissolved materials. The problem of proper waste disposal in Nigeria could be blamed on various factors we face in the nation. Waste disposal is capital and economically intensive. This requires huge capital outlay. Many state governments spend a good percentage of their funds on domestic waste management. For examples, Lagos State Government spends between 20% – 25% of its funds on waste management. But what this amounts could accomplish is dwarfed by the population it caters for. Lagos state, for instance, has a projected population of 12 million and 18 million persons. It is estimated that the average individual in such mega cities as Lagos generates an average of 0.115kg of waste daily. It is that the funds available or at least earmarked for domestic waste management is grossly inadequate, to fund the public agencies and other private sector participants (PSP). Another problem we face is the issue of the lack of trained personnel in Nigeria. We have few sanitation and environment engineersal in fact, most private sectors who venture into waste disposing have little or no knowledge about waste management. The issue of monitoring is also a cause, as we know the Nigeria people have this attitude of ‘‘I DONT CARE’’ and since most officials are mostly untrained, they will not have techniques for effective waste management. And one of the major problems we face in proper waste disposal is peculiarity of the Nigerians’ attitude, like the “government-does-everything” philosophy of many Nigerians. This contributes to the domestic waste management problems in Nigeria. A careless attitude permeates the thinking, especially those living in cities and towns.
Habib Ahmed is of the Dept of Mass Communication University of Maiduguri
