Effects Of Improper Waste Management Environmental Sciences Essay

Effects Of Improper flagellate Management Environmental Sciences bear witnessThe issue of Waste Management has be an ongoing issue in Nigeria alone came into lime light in 1988 with the governing body of toxic go down on in the then Delta recite (Edo state). Nigeria as the most populous country in Africa has an estimated population size of about 160 million people, a growth calculate of 2.37% and generates an annual municipal elope figure of 25,000,000 tones. This policy sets to identify the probable sources of ware generation, their cause, and disposal methodology and in that locationafter recommend mitigation strategy for Waste Management by proffering probable solution to its worldagement by means ofIts Prevention,Its Reduction,Its Beneficial usage through the 3Rs of waste management andDevelopment of Statutory, legal and legislative regulations for the management of waste.Although there be Federal and State Ministry of Environment, Environmental surety t wake upric al performance (State and Federal), we still have problems about enforcement of the responsibilities for regulation and monitoring to ensure legal, statutory and social compliance.COUNTRY PROFILEThe Nigerian rescue is one that has experienced a number of environmental problems in its over fifty (50) years of being an independent nation. There apparently seem to be no end in sight except a few radical changes are make to its economical and environmental policies. The waste management system in operation in Nigeria leaves a lot to be desired.The countrys current environmental issues include but are not limited toOil pollution and gas flaring (which affect urine, aquatic lives, air, and sink to loss of arable husbandry),Waste pollution (which pillow slips air, land and water pollution),Rapid urbanization.A tint at nine (9) of the major cities in Nigeria gives a fairly good idea of the disaster the country is flavour at in terms of unchecked waste generation and management.The M ap below shows each of the nine (9) states with their generated annual municipal wasteOne would prognosticate that a country of such magnitude both in population size and economic importance depart have structures in place to adequately rubbish the menace posed by waste generation and management but this is not the case as the country doesnt have a angiotensin converting enzyme sanitary landfill for waste disposal. It disposes waste in open landfills and dumps.SOURCES OF WASTE GENERATIONThe environment is a continuously changing one and the quantity of waste generated enlarges with an increase in population, peoples attitudes and rapid urbanization. In providing a solution and putting in place a policy to manage waste in the Nigerian economy a clear understanding of what waste is and how it is generated is required.What is waste?The United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) defines waste as materials that are not prime overlaps (that is products produced for the market) for wh ich the generator has no advance use in terms of his/her own purposes of production, transformation or drug addiction, and of which he/she wants to dispose.Waste is generated fromResidential waste household waste and kitchen wasteCommercial waste office waste e.g. papersInstitutional waste papersMunicipal waste sludge and general wasteProcess waste scraps coarse waste pesticidesConstruction waste wood, Concrete etcDrilling Oil spillage, gas flaring, coal, ashTypes of waste (Diagram)EFFECTS OF IMPROPER WASTE MANAGEMENTIt is a sound known f issue that our environment is poorly protected and not many Nigerians know the actual scope and the ramifications of this problem.What is Waste Management?Waste management is the act of collection, storage and disposal of waste to prevent pollution, degradation of the environment. This ranges from ordinary household, industrial wastes even generated by factories and nuclear power plants.Proliferation of vermin Dirt has been known to be the breed ing termss for vermin like rodents, mosquitoes and microbesWater pollution This occurs mainly when ground water is contaminated from oil spillage and washed off chemical substances that figure the ground. This has an adverse effect on marine life, drinking water and deforestation occurs because plants get contaminated water into their roots.Air pollution This occurs when waste is incinerated indiscriminately in public without the proper facilities being used and even dumped in the open. The incinerated waste especially plastic release toxins that could produce acid rain and the smoke could cause lung damage.Land pollution This occurs when waste is not deposited at proper disposal sites but is dumped in open landfills. This causes a blot on the landscape and a reduction in property price where such landfills are found.Public Health Issues The unregulated dumping of waste which gives room for microbes and insect to breed creates wellness issues such as malaria (mosquitoes), typhoid (contaminated home water source) etc.Reduction in Agricultural production waste especially oil spillage, gas flaring, chemical contaminants reduce the quality of the primer and this in turn is noticed in the reduction of agricultural produceMethane production which if not treated properly causes colour house effect and add to ozone depletion (unmanaged waste smells and generates the gas)Climate change leads to an increase in the intensity and frequency of weather extremes, such as heat waves, floods, droughts and tropical cyclones. The people hardest hit by climate change and environmental degradation are those living in the most vulnerable areas such as coastal communities and Delta Regions in Nigeria. This climate change and the effects it generates lead to property damage, business interruption, forest fires and health risks.Flooding This occurs when waste is disposed in drainages by man or by natural occurrence (washed by rain).This could causes flooding when rain falls.Erosio n The presence of chemical and toxic waste in the soil reduces its compatibility and causes soil wash off when rain falls.PROBLEMSThe problem of inadequate waste disposal and management practice in Nigeria is based on a few controllable factors that are highlighted asEnlightenment Nigerias citizens lack the general ken of worlds best practices for waste disposal, management and the possible effects of non-compliance on their health.Meager funding The cash in hand allocated to each state for waste management is inadequate to battle the issues of environmental waste. States like Lagos have only 5-7% of the states allocation to battle waste management.Obsolete technology and inadequate equipment The people who have been given the job of waste disposal and management do not have the equipments and technology to do the job.Inexperience of round The staff who have been allocated to manage waste disposal and management do not have the adept knowhow to go about doing the job.Incomplet e policy to combat improper waste disposal The policies on ground have not been improved to meet the changing population size, urbanization and worlds best practice.Sanitary Landfills Nigeria as a country doesnt have a single sanitary landfill to its name. It uses open landfills and dumpsites for its waste disposal which is not hygienic and environmentally friendly.Traffic This situation is more than prominent in urban cities where the distance between the point of collection of waste and the disposal point could take a whole day to privacy because of traffic congestionLegislature implementation Nigeria has the uniqueness of making laws without having the legal presence to implement them and has cascaded to the waste management sector.Government Legislation In situations where there are environmental laws in place, the fines attributed to breaking the laws are not a fair representation of the offence committed.eg Environmental Sanitation Edict NO12.1985 stipulated a fine of two (2 00 ) naira or two( 2) months in prison for going out on sanitation days.GOVERNMENTS EFFORT SO FARIt is accepted that the Nigerian giving medication has put in place several environmental bodies to curb the increasing environmental issues caused by waste generation.Such bodies includeFederal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) was established on 30th December, 1988 by the Federal Government to secure a quality environment for Nigerians.National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) was established in 1999 to enforce environmental laws. It was established as a subset of FEPA.Each state in Nigeria has its own Environmental Protection Agency e.g.Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA)State Ministry of EnvironmentNational Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA)ADVISED SOLUTIONS (RECOMMENDATIONS)GOVERNMENT TECHNICAL SOLUTION.The technical solutions recommended for administration approval arePrevention of wasteThis technique will incl ude practices like increasing the shelf life of a product (increasing product warranty) by citizens in their everyday life.Waste Generation Reduction.The key to achieving waste generation reduction is for the government to create awareness. Educate people on the effects of waste generation on the economy, the environment and themselves and to advise them on waste generation reduction techniques of shopping. This technique says that pile should only purchase what they need (necessities and essentials)People should purchase reusable products and goodsPeople should buy products with little packagingPeople should buy recyclable productsCompostingThe government should set up waste compositing sites at strategical parts of the country. Compositing involves the use of anaerobic bacteria at high temperature and in the presence of Oxygen to digest and breakdown biodegradable waste into different components that are harmless to the environment and the end product can be used as fertilizers b y farmers.RecycleThe Nigerian government has no recycling surgical incision or unit in its environmental post and also has no recycling plant. The key to recycling is in educating people on the different classes of waste and the different means of disposal and separation. The process of recycling involves the reprocessing of waste to produce a different or new product. This process should involved both the government and the peopleIncinerationWith the reduction of the water content in generated waste, incineration can be carried out in an enclosed space under certain conditions to generate heat and energy that can be used to generate electricity. The government should look at this option as another means for energy generation as with the population size in the country the waste generated will be put to better use. This can only be achieved if citizens develop the practice of classifying waste into general waste, recyclable waste and reusable waste.Sanitary landfillNigeria as a coun try doesnt have a single sanitary landfill. A sanitary landfill is unremarkably used for the final waste that cannot be reused, recycled or composited. The ground is dug and seamed to prevent the contamination of ground water and the waste is packed and lined then covered with dirt to reduce its smell and to stop animals from digging it up. The sanitary landfill site should be located far from residential areas. The government should look at building a few sanitary landfills in key areas in the countryGOVERNMENT GENERAL SOLUTIONSet up awareness campaign to educate people on the worlds waste disposal and management best practicesProvide technical knowhow and training programmers to environmental waste management agency employeesCompanies and the type of waste they generate should be registered with the government so as to enable the government put facilities on ground to dispose and manage the waste. disparate types of waste should have different disposable sites.The disposal and ma nagement responsibility of waste should be cascaded down.The government should get private investors who will assist them in managing the generated wasteEncourage the generation of a professional body for waste disposal and managementEnsure that there is accountability for any waste disposal issue that might arise in the country.Ensure waste policys are implementedEnsure that physical, informative and financial facilities are put on ground to adequately combat environmental waste disposal and management.Creation of an adequate legal frame work to try offenders of waste management laws will go a long way in.Finance research into waste reduction and waste utilization techniqueECONOMIC BENEFITS OF RECOMMENDATIONSMethane The methane generated from fermentation if managed properly can be used as cooking fuel.This the government can add as another source of cooking fuel instead of kerosene and firewoodRe cyclingStops floodingIncineration Heat and Energy generated through this process will be used in electricity generation which in turn reduces our corporate trust on hydrolic electricity generationCompositing This is a source of fertilizer to farmers that is environmental friendlyAgriculture The improvement in soil quality will lead to a corresponding increase in agricultural produce which if exported is a source of foreign currency.Reduces erosion The increase in comportment of the soil will reduces the probability of erosion occurring with rainfallGood ground water and aquatic life survival This will provide clean water for human consumption and plant growthHealthy populace With the advent of a sustainable environment the countrys population will be healthy and free of waste and water borne diseases.