The role of community participation in waste management

Introduction

Waste is as old as man. Over the years, man has been faced with various health problems majority of the problem has been traced to be poor management of waste. As the population increases and cities become more industrialized, the volume and rate at which people generate waste increases.

Waste represent the principle cause of environmental pollution hence a long term threat to man. Waste is commonly understood to be anything for which there is no further use. Indeed it can be said or argued that hardly anything can become a waste because someone will always fine a use for it. What is waste to (Mr. A) may be a raw material to (Mr. B) hence waste are resources in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Olojoba (2009) describe waste as a product that results from human activities that cannot readily, safely or profitable be used by the producer. Also waste can be define as any material that is useless, unwanted discarded which is no longer useful for the original purpose it is meant for but can still be useful to others (Ajabor, 2016).

Waste matter when not properly treated and disposed off has an effect on the source of water supply, land and air that we breathe in. it affects the health of man and living organism.

In Nigeria, the management of waste is a major problem of most states and the Nigeria Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) now National Environmental Standard Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) as well as the efforts of governments, waste management and authorities (Aibor & Olorunda, 2007).

World Health Organization [WHO] (1971 as cited in Odigwe, 2016) states that waste management is a health programme that has essential precondition for the promotion of health where health is under threat of communicable disease.

According to Bamigboye (2003) a good waste management system would reduce or even eliminate the unfavourable effects of waste on health by preventing pollution of the natural environment, elimination of hazard etc.

It is also paramount to state that proper waste management involve the generation, storage, collection, transportation, treatment and disposal and monitoring of waste materials. This process thus requires active participation of the community members so as to create a positive impact and healthy environment (Carpenter, 2010).

Ezenwa (1999, as cited in Odigwe, 2016) opined that the responsibility of waste management requires collective effort involving individual, communities, business men, local government, state government, federal government and voluntary agencies.

Classification of waste

Waste is generally classified into three according to their physical nature:

·                    Solid waste (refuse)

·                    Liquid waste (sewage)

·                    Gaseous waste (air pollution)

Solid waste (refuse)

Solid waste is the new word for refuse in the community resulting from human day to day activities (except human body waste). WHO, (1971) defined solid waste as useless, unwanted or any discarded materials arising from human activities and are not free flowing.

According to Olojoba, (2009) solid waste can be classified into the following;

i.             Domestic solid waste which is also known as household wastes consist of the following.

a.     Garbage (food waste / wet refuse): These are wastes that are generated through the preparation, storage, transportation, cooking and consumption of food. Examples are left over food, orange peel, yam peel, corncob etc.

b.     Ashes: Are residues collected after combustion of wood or cool used for cooking and heating.

c.      Rubbish: These comprises of combustible and non-combustible such as plastic, clothing, broken bottles etc.

ii.           Institutional solid waste: These are wastes that arise from offices, hospitals, schools etc.

iii.        Agricultural waste: These are refuses generated by agricultural farm products. Examples are cassava stem and peel, dead animals etc.

iv.        Municipal or public solid waste: These is also refer to as public waste. These are waste generated by the public and are collected from streets, roads, markets and are not attributed to any person responsibility.

Liquid waste (sewage)

According to Onojeharho (2010) sewage is waste water from a community containing solid and liquid excreta and are free flowing that are derived from houses, streets, yard washing, factories etc. which has an unpleasant smell.

Sources of liquid waste

i.       Domestic liquid waste: These are waste water from residential household which include bathroom, toilet, kitchen sink, laundry.

ii.     Municipal liquid waste: Rainwater runoff or storm water.

iii.  Industrial liquid waste: Waste water from industries.

iv.  Agricultural liquid waste: Are runoff after irrigation.

Gaseous waste (air pollutant)

According to Obakpolor (2004), gaseous wastes are substances that are neither solid nor liquid generated by the activities of man in concentration that interferes with human health and the environment in general.

Sources of gaseous waste

i.       Carbon-monoxide from automobile

ii.     Particulate matter from bush burning

iii.  Domestic activities from firewood, cool fire, generator

iv.  Volcanic eruption from dusts, fumes etc.

v.     Industrial processes such as the petrochemical industries which emit hydrogen sulphides.

Management of waste

According to EHORECON (2012) for effective waste management to be carried out there are steps which should be followed. These include

·        Generation

·        Storage

·        Collection

·        Transportation

·        Treatment

·        Disposal

i.       Generation: As production and consumption of goods and services are involved, solid waste will continue to be generated from different source, such as home, offices, school, market, hospital, hotel etc.

ii.     Storage: This have to do with temporary accommodation of solid waste in the refuse container which are usually metal or plastic container with fitting cover, this is to ensure that the refuse are not scattered by dogs or accessible to flies and other vermin. The container must be durable, light, easily removed, empty and easily cleaned so as to increase its life span (Ajabor, 2016)

iii.  Collection: After the immediate storage in a sanitary dust bin, every individual may removed his loaded dust bin to the disposal site or to the refuse collecting deports by government refuse collection crew or by private sector participation (PSP) (Odigwe, 2016).

iv.  Transportation: This has to do with the evaluation of refuse from the point of collection to the point of treatment or disposal. The choice of equipment will depend on the type of waste to be transported.

v.     Treatment: Treatment of waste have to do with the conversion of unwanted material that arises from man’s activities into materials that can be reutilized for either the same or other purpose  (Erueharole, 1996: WHO expert committee, 1971)

vi.  Disposal: This is the final stage of waste management where the waste is properly disposal off at the disposal site.

Objective of waste management

According to Oreyomi (2005) the objectives of efficient waste management are.

i.       To protect the natural environment against pollution or degradation. This can be achieved by discouraging indiscriminate dumping of waste on either land, water or air.

ii.     To promote the aesthetic values of the environment through regular collection and disposal of waste.

iii.  To provide gainful employment for many who would have been jobless. This can be achieved through private sector participation (PSP) in waste disposal.

iv.  Prevention of disease associated with raw sewage.

v.     To enhance regular supply raw materials through salvaging, reuse and recycling of materials or substances of economic value from waste i.e. turning waste to wealth.

vi.  To protect and promote health.

Effects of improper waste management

The following are as a result of improper waste management (indiscriminate dump of refuse)

1.     Environmental degradation: Inadequate storage, collection and transportation of refuse and improper treatment process of sewage before final disposal attract nuisance and disease outbreak and can lead to the degradation of the environment.

2.     Insect infestation/fly breeding: Indiscriminate management of solid waste and liquid waste results in infestation of flies and rodent. When these insect and rodent come in contact with your food can contaminate man’s food. Thus transporting disease such as cholera etc.

3.     Fire hazard or disaster: Indiscriminate dumping of refuse can lead to fire outbreak when hot ashes are dumped in uncontrolled tipping site.

4.     Odour nuisance: Odour nuisance as an effect of the disposal method and inadequate management of waste which is usually characterized by stinking smell, irritation and odour due to decomposition can also be noticed.

5.     Atmospheric (air): When refuse is burnt in the open, a dark dense smoke usually pollutes the air and also during refuse decomposition dangerous gases such as sulphur dioxide are discharged into the air.

Problems confronting effective waste management

According to Oroyemi (2015), the major problem confronting effective waste management are dimensional and can be attributed to the under listed factors.

a.     Lack of fund: Inadequate fund can lead to poor management of waste, on the part of those saddle with the responsibility of waste management and equipment facilities

b.    Shortage of management: Shortage of skilled personnel to plan and manage refuse disposal system is a major problem of proper refuse disposal in the communities.

c.      Lack of adequate equipment: Short supply of adequate equipment has brought set back to refuse disposal system in our communities. Refuse cannot be effectively managed without equipment for storage, collection, transportation.

d.    Inclement weather: Effective waste disposal suffers greatly during rainy season. This is because the disposal site is usually slippery when ever its rains thereby preventing refuse van or vehicle from coming to dumping site. This will result to the accumulation of refuse within the community during rainy season.

Possible ways to tackle the problem confronting effective waste management

a.     Improved budgetary allocation

b.     Provision of storage facilities for household refuse

c.      Employment of skilled personnel.

d.     Reorientation of the people through effective health education

e.      Routine inspection of premises to defect and abate nuisance

f.       Enforcement of public health law

The role community participation in waste in waste management

For health promotion it includes proper waste management to ensure effective disposal and it must be carried out by the people. This means that at all stages of waste management, communities must be involved in decision making, when planning for the control of waste and management of waste, without the interruption of political instability (Thomas, 2009).

For waste management to be effective the following must play a role, which include:

The role of leaders

The best way to convince people about waste management is to identify some influential persons or leaders of the community, to whom the community people have much trust and listen to. These leaders of the area i.e. ward chairperson (who is the elected chair member of the ward committee. The support of the concerned ward chairman and other members is absolutely necessary. They have found them helpful, which helped effectively. The chairperson, community representative are involved in planning and implementation of law.

The role of elders

One of the major thrust had been build upon the experience of the elder in the community. They are considered as the resource tank that provides necessary input based on their experiences and observation with different development processes. Many a times no activities can be implemented without their consent. Their role in the community is decision making and advises.

The role of women

Women are responsible for cleaning of the house and looking after their children. Their participation in waste management is necessary as she is the one who is responsible for daily domestic waste disposal. They played key role on proper disposal of household wastes and their participation in weekly street cleaning, contributed a lot in making the community clean.

The role of children

They are the future generation of the community educating, orienting and involving them in the whole process is very important. They will participate on those activities that will be suitable for them and in this way, they were being prepared for better future environment.

The role of EHO in waste management

1)    Inspection of all type of premises.

2)    To health educate the public on best methods of waste management

3)    Participating in the formulation and development of health policies for the management and improvement of the public health and its sustainability.

4)    Monitoring and management of environmental safety and protection.

5)    Provision of technical advices and enforcement of the public health law and bye law that are relevant to public and environmental health services.

6)    Participation in close observation and control of communicable disease within local, state, federal, national and international level.

7)    To have a report in sanitation exercise.

8)    To detect and abate nuisance related to waste.

Conclusion

Waste management is the generation, storage, collection, transportation, disposal and monitoring of waste materials. This process is being hindered by factors such as inadequate resource mobilization, inadequate budget allocation which in turn lead to environmental degradation, odour nuisance, etc. The EHO must be involved for effective waste management to be carried out such as inspection of premises, health educating the public on the best method of waste disposal and the effects of indiscriminate dumping of refuse, monitoring, close observation, to detect and abate nuisance related to waste etc.

Recommendations

In order to ensure proper waste management and effective community participation, the following are necessary.

i.             The community members should be health educated on the importance of proper waste management.

ii.           Incentives should be given to participating community members as a means of encouragement.

iii.        Seminars and training should be organized for community members on waste management.

iv.        Weekly and monthly environmental sanitation should be practiced.

v.           Resources and financial allocations should be made available to the community.

vi.        There should be provision of waste collection facilities in strategic positions.

vii.      Public health laws should be strictly enforced by environmental health officers.

References

Aibor, M.S. & Olorunda, O. (2007). A technical handbook of environmental health in the 21^st century for professionals and students. Lagos: Divine Favour

Ajabor, K. (2016). Basic knowledge to environmental science and pollution control. Ughelli: Fulfilling Destiny

Bamigboye, A.P. (2003). Privatization of waste disposal issues and prospects. Lagos: Eko EHOAN

Carpenter, S. (2010). Sorting through garbage for gold. Jos: Angelis Times Newspaper, P, 17

Odigwe, S.E. (2016). A modern comprehensive approach to waste management. Ughelli: Obos Printing Press

Olojoba, A.O. (2009). Millennium technology in waste management and environmental pollution. Ughelli: Ama-Ohoro Printing Press

Onojeharho, D. (2009). Public health companion. Ughelli: Ama-Ohoror Printing Press.

Oreyomi, M.K. (2005). Principles and practice of environmental health (2^nd ed). Lagos: Kinson Printing Press.