Disposal of Municipal Solid Wastes

**167**

**Chapter 10**

Nigeria

**Abstract**

*Aroloye O. Numbere*

Niger Delta, city planning

healthy city for people to live in.

**1. Introduction**

Municipal Solid Waste Disposal in

Mangrove Forest: Environmental

Niger Delta is an oil rich region situated in the southern part of Nigeria. It is made up of nine states which hosts oil industries. There are a handful of businesses (super market, manufacturing companies, etc.) that service the over 40 million people living in the cities. This situation had led to the increase in solid waste in the city. Because of the problem of over population, and poor waste management strategies (e.g., lack of recycling habit and lack of equipment) the mangrove forest had become a dumping ground for waste. This action has impacted the health of aquatic and terrestrial organisms, and has created a public health disaster for citizens because of increase in heavy metal concentration up the food chain. This chapter therefore, identifies poverty, lack of planning, poor behavior and poor technology as key factors affecting effective waste management in the Niger Delta. It suggests that good waste management system can be worked out if there is coordination between research institution and government in the implementation of recommendation by research institutes. Attitudinal change is also necessary on the part of citizens and government to enable a

Implication and Management

Strategies in the Niger Delta,

healthy interaction for the purpose of managing waste effectively.

**Keywords:** solid waste, mangrove forest, recycling, heavy metal, open dump,

Municipal refers to a city, but when a city is very large it becomes a metropolis. According to [1] government performs two kinds of functions: (1) supply of goods and services within municipality and (2) conflict management. For instance, the sitting of garbage dump site can lead to conflict, which is to be resolved by the municipality. Other functions of a municipal government are police, fire protection, and street maintenance. In the area of conflict management municipal government takes care of the sitting of garbage dump sites within the city to prevent clash of residents over land ownership rights. The government also decides on the number of garbage collection per week, and the disposal mechanisms to ensure a clean and
