CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY]

Waste management is one of the most difficult and visible environmental problems that urban communities and local governments in low-income countries face around the globe today (Claudel 2010). The rapidly growing problem with solid waste (SW) affects urban residents who are exposed to ineffective solid waste management systems (SWMS), as solid waste can pose a serious health hazard to people and public health.

Waste that is not disposed effectively can spread communicable diseases, attract disease vectors, spread harmful substances and pollute the soil, water and air (Claudel 2010; Vergara & Tchobanoglous 2012 in Chen & Urpelainen 2015). Waste workers provide a vital and essential part of SWMS in developing countries.

They improve the quality and cleanliness of public spaces in urban areas and help prevent the spread of communicable diseases and therefore improve public health. They extend the life cycle of landfills by decreasing the amount of waste disposed in them and are important economic actors as they provide vast quantities of important material for the recycling market that would otherwise be unutilized.

Waste workers also protect the environment by making materials available for reuse or to be reprocessed and enabling valuable materials to go back into the global recycling stream (Adama 2014; Dias 2016).

Despite this, working within waste management is often associated with low social status (Mbah & Nzeadibe 2015: 293; Pilapitiya et al. 2006). Individuals working with solid waste management are also often marginalized from mainstream society, excluded from decision-making processes, and are often even viewed as criminals (Adama 2014; Dias 2016; Pandey 2011).

The modern waste-management industry in the developed world has come far, and with recycling and other advances it will continue to grow and change with the needs of the community. However, countries in the developing world have yet to see many of these changes to their own solid-waste management systems (SWMS).

Today, solidwaste management conditions in the developing world are quite dire; present SWMS in these countries are more reminiscent of conditions found in past SWMS in the developed world.

Traditionally, the municipalities have been in charge of providing SWM services in developing countries (Al-Khatib et al., 2009). The municipal responsibility is to organize and manage the public sanitation system, including providing the infrastructure for the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of wastes.

However, with ever-increasing population and economic growth, many municipalities in developing countries are struggling to keep SWMS working in a sustainable manner.

1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

A typical solid waste management system in a developing country displays an array of problems, including low collection coverage and irregular collection services, crude open dumping and burning without air and water pollution control, the breeding of flies and vermin, and the handling and control of informal waste picking or scavenging activities.

These public health, environmental and management problems are caused by various factors which serve as constrains to the development of effective solid waste management systems. Finally, several researches has been carried out on effect of non biodegradable waste but not even a single research has been carried out on knowledge of waste management as a means of livelihood.

1. AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim and objectives of the study is to examine the knowledge of waste management as a means of livelihood. Other specific objectives to the study include;

1. to determine the factors affecting the knowledge of waste management as a means of livelihood.
2. to determine the effect of waste management on livelihood.
3. to determine the extent to which lack of knowledge on waste management influences livelihood.
4. to proffer possible solutions to the problems.
   1. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1      What are the factors affecting the knowledge of waste management as a means of livelihood?

2      What is the effect of waste management on livelihood?

3      What is the extent to which lack of knowledge on waste management influences livelihood?

4      What are the possible solutions to the problems?

1. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Ho:  Knowledge of waste management has no significant effect on means of livelihood.

Hi:   Knowledge of waste management has a significant effect on means of livelihood.

1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study on the knowledge of waste management as a means of livelihood will be of immense benefit in the sense that it will enable the government to educate the people on how they can manage their household waste.

It will also educate individuals on the marketing of compost products within the urban and peri-urban areas which are not developed and the farmers are not well enlightened on the importance of compost manure compared to the organic fertilizers which are expensive both in cash and kind to the farmers in the way that they wear out the soils after continuously using them. Finally, the study will contribute to the body of existing literature and knowledge to this field of study and basis for further research.

1. SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study on knowledge of waste management is limited to means of livelihood.

1. LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

TIME CONSTRAINTS: One the challenges experienced by the researcher is the issue of time; the research will simultaneously engage in departmental activities like seminars and attendance to lectures. But the researcher was able to meet up with the deadline for the submission of the project.

FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS: Every research work needs funding; however lack of adequate funds might affect the speed of the researcher in getting materials for completion of the project.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Knowledge:     Facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.

Waste:     (Of a material, substance, or by-product) eliminated or discarded as no longer useful or required after the completion of a process.

Management:  The process of dealing with or controlling things or people.

Livelihood:      A means of securing the necessities of life.