ABSTRACT

Studies on municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, disposal and management over seasons (rainy and dry season) in 2004 were carried out in Umuahia and Aba, Abia - - State, Nigeria. In each cities, well-structured questionnaires were used to assess the current status of waste generation and disposal as well as the factors militating against proper waste disposal practices. A 3 x 14 factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates was used to determine the quantities and types of waste generated and disposed over seasons at Abia State Environmental Protection Agency's waste disposal sites in Umuahia and Aba. The first factor comprised three study sites selected in each city, namely; urban market, urban residential area and World Bank Housing Estate. The second factor consisted of fourteen (14) waste types. Sample of soils at the landfill dumpsites and nearby bush fallow sites in the study locations were also collected and analysed for physico-chemical properties. A single factorial experiment in randomized complete block design with three replications was also used to determine the nutrient contents of fresh 4- • biodegradable wastes at the dumpsites. The percentages of waste types generated in Umuahia and Aba, by respondents to questionnaires were as follows: kitchen waste — Umuahia (40%) and Aba (15%); condemned papers and stationeries — Umuahia (22%), Aba (15°i); polyethylene materials such as bags, water proof, water sachets — Umuahia (20%), and Aba (25%). The patterns of waste disposal (% by respondents) were as follows: open dumpsite — Umuahia (45%) and Aba (30%); into rivers/streams —Umuahia (3%) and Aba (12%); along the streams Umuahia (30%), and Aba (24%), into gutters / 0 - drainage's — Umuahia (12%), and Aba (18%). Some factors militating against proper municipal waste disposal were as follows (% of respondents): poor funding — Umuahia (45%) and Aba (50%); inadequate infrastructures such as waste receptacles, disposal tiucks — Umuahia (20%) and Aba (35%); inadequate ASEPA personnel 101 paper waste disposal and management — Umuahia (8%) and Aba (4%); inadequate refuse dumpsites — Umuahia (15%) and Aba.( (25%) Using children for waste disposal — Umuahia (47%) and Aba (40%); vegetable wastes gave significantly the highest quantity of municipal solid waste types generated daily during the rainy and dry seasons at Umuahia (12.04t day 1 — rainy season, 7.36 t day 1 — dry season) and Aba (3.56 t day 1 — rainy season, 2.29 t day 1 — dry season). Aluminum materials, polyethylene and rubber materials had the least mean daily waste quantities over seasons at Umuahia (0.15 t day 1, 0.43 t day 1, 0.62 t day 1 respectively) and at Aba (0.12 t day 1, 0.44 t day, 0.38 t day 1 respectively). No significant differences existed between the results of the quantities of wastes generated and disposed at Umuahia and Aba. The municipal waste dumpsites at Umuahia and Aba had loam sand soil textures. The soil texture of the bush fallow site at Umuahia and Aba were respectively sandy soil and sandy loam. The pH values of the dumpsite (6.81) and bush fallow (6.08) at Umuahia were similar. At Aba, the pH of the waste dumpsite (5.70) was significantly higher than that of the bush fallow site (7.65). Umuahia had a C:N ratio of 12.00 and 8.60 at the dump and bush fallow sites respectively. The C:N ratios at the dumpsite and at the bush fallow site at Aba were 4.98 and 5.53 respectively. The GEC and percentage base saturation of the dumpsite (74.37%) and nearby bush fallow site (75.36°i) were similar. Vegetable wastes gave significantly the highest N content (4.38%), fruit wastes the highest K and Na contents and vegetable + fruit wastes, the highest Mg contents (0.73%). The biodegradable municipal waste types had similar P and Ca contents.