ABSTRACT

 Waste Management is an important element of environmental protection. Proper characterization of solid waste is fundamental for the planning of waste management services. This study reports on the analysis of household solid waste generation and composition in Igbere, Bende LGA Abia state, Nigeria. The study area was categorized into three distinct areas; A, B, C representing the high income, middle income and low income residents respectively. Two sets of primary data were collected for the study. The first was drawn from questionnaire from each of the selected households. Buildings from each ofthe categorized areas was selected through stratified systematic sampling; the first was selected randomly and then every subsequent tenth building, all households in each of the selected buildings were surveyed. A total of 120 buildings and 182 households were suneyed and five residents’ attributes were considered. The second data was based on a measurement of the solid waste generated in the households. Each of the households was visited once a week for 12 months and their waste sorted and weighed at source. The quantity of waste generated was highest in area C and least in area B; with a net weight of 5685.7Kg, 4758.IKg and 5302.8Kg in areas C, B and A respectively. The daily average waste generated per capita, per household and per building varies across each ofthe areas. For the whole area, the average daily per capita waste generation was 0.31 Kg. Daily per capita waste generation decreased from area C (0.14Kg/capita) to B (0.09Kg/capita) and to A (0.08Kg/capita) as residents’ income and education status increased. Total daily waste generation per household was 2,35Kg/household. It also decreased from area C (1.17Kg) to B (0.63Kg) and to A (0.55Kg)/household. Waste per building was also higher in area C than in the other 2 areas. The study area generated more of compostable, recyclable and reusable waste which varies across the three areas. As education, income, social status, family size increase, per household waste generation decrease with respect to waste from processed foods from area A to area C, and decreased from area C to A with respect to heavier organic waste. The study recommended adoption of an integrated solid waste management strategy (reduction, reuse, recycling and composting)for sustainable management ofsolid waste in the area.