Page 1 of 15

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 04 Issue 09

September 2018

Available online: https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/ P a g e | 38

Assessment of Solid Waste Disposal & Environmental Issues in Ilorin

Metropolis

Abdulkadir, Sakariyau Babatunde

Heros Educational Centre, Aiyetoro-Ile, Kwara State, Nigeria

skymorbabs@gmail.com

+2348060414264

ABSTRACT

Managing waste disposal in Ilorin Metropolis has remained a challenge over the years with

unsystematic dumping of refuse in available spaces especially drainages, markets, rivers and

uncompleted buildings around the residential areas. With the stated observations, this research

examine the solid waste disposal and the environmental issues with a view to providing some of

the much needed data on waste disposal for planning and management. One hundred (100)

questionnaires were randomly distributed within Ilorin metropolis and descriptive test analysis

statistic was adopted for the study. The findings of this shows that major issues resulting to the

illegal dumping of solid waste within Ilorin metropolis are caused by Kwara Waste Management

Corporation (KWMC) failure to evacuate the dumped waste regularly. These findings drew the

attention of the research towards preventing the possible consequence of unbearable foul odors,

Page 2 of 15

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 04 Issue 09

September 2018

Available online: https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/ P a g e | 39

littering of the surrounding, water pollution, attracting of rodents and insects observed at the

research area.

KEY WORDS: Environment, Illegal disposal, Management, Pollution, Refuse, Solid waste

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Managing waste disposal in Ilorin Metropolis has remained a challenge over the years with

unsystematic dumping of refuse in available spaces especially drainages, markets, rivers and

uncompleted buildings around the residential areas. Omotoso and Jegede (2009) observed that,

solid waste generation in metropolitan cities has increased prodigiously. They added that major

high-ways have suddenly become the dunghill for many citizens. The state seems to have

acquired the unenviable status of being one of the dirtiest cities in world. It is a development that

has malevolently aided the environmental problems of the city.

Though, waste has been described as rubbish or materials that are not needed and are

economically unusable without further processing; the constituents may be in liquid, gas or solid

form and originate from a wide range of human operations, such as industrial commercial,

transportation, agricultural, medical, and domestic activities (Agunwamba, 2003). Municipal

solid waste are dumped along some major streets at close proximity to the houses and public

places and some close to river, despite the fact that trash bins are provided by the state

Page 3 of 15

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 04 Issue 09

September 2018

Available online: https://pen2print.org/index.php/jsmap/ P a g e | 40

government in few areas and along the main roads. More than two-third of the residents do not

use authorized dumpsites for their waste (Nabegu, 2013). Waste generation is conditioned to an

important degree by people’s attitude towards waste especially their patterns of material use and

waste handling; their interest in waste reduction and minimization; the degree to which they

separate wastes and extent to which they refrain from indiscriminate dumping and littering

(Zurbrugg, 1999).

Omole and Alakinde (2013) observe that Nigeria among other third world countries is witnessing

an unprecedented growth of cities in recent time. They observe that the country’s high

population figure has series of implications for every aspect of people socio-economic and

cultural life style. They further state that with the pressure in urban population, existing facilities

such as water, electricity, road, educational institutions and housing become inadequate and solid

waste generation and disposal take unprecedented precarious dimension.

Solid waste generation has been encouraged by rapid increase in population, changes or

improvement in wages, massive expansion of the urban areas and the changing lifestyle or better

standard of living as well as improvement in technology (UNICEF 2001). The alarming rates at

which human beings generate solid waste constitute a great problem to the governments as well

as individuals in large urban areas especially in developing countries like Nigeria. This is

because residues of products used are not always destroyed but discarded and these contribute