Harmful Effects and Management of Indiscriminate Solid Waste Disposal on Human and its Environment in Nigeria: A Review

The rate of solid waste generation has increased to a devastating and uncontrollable rate in Nigeria as a result of human daily and economic activities. Although, the issue of indiscriminate solid waste disposal is a global one. Modernization, high standard of living, increase in population, technological innovation and excessive urbanization over the years has drastically contributed to the generation of municipal waste, through industrial and domestic activities. Due to inadequate waste disposal method, dumping of refusee in an unauthorized places is now the order of the day in the country, both in local and national level and penalties that are placed on defaulters are not been effectively carried out. Environment close to dump sites are exposed to significant and rapid environmental degradation mostly in municipal areas in Nigeria which brings about adverse effect on the general sustainability of urban life, poor agricultural yield, widespread of germs and diseases, extinction of aquatic bodies due to water toxicity and acidification. Apart from the fact that human health is at great risk, life becomes unbearable to dwellers in such environments. The rate of human vulnerability depends on how close the household settlements are to the open areas unlawfully made as dumping sites. When solid wastes are indiscriminately disposed it results to climate change, photochemical reactions, abiotic depletion and extreme weather events like global warming produced by the breakdown of greenhouse gases generated from chemical and radioactive wastes. There are water contamination and water bodies’ blockage, soil and air pollution, communicable and non-communicable diseases in most areas of the country. This paper discusses on the harmful effects of indiscriminate disposal of solid waste on human and its environment in Nigeria and also reviews the possible waste management method and regulations that must guide against this act.

Author(s): Ogunniran Blessing Ifeoluwa

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