Abstract:
The study focused on impediments to and optimization strategies for solid waste management in Anambra State with the objective of determining the impediments to solid waste collection, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal and optimization strategies for improved waste management. Eleven specific objectives with corresponding eleven research questions and five hypotheses guided the study. Pertinent literature was reviewed and the study utilized the descriptive research design. The population for the study consisted of all the solid waste management workers in Anambra State. The entire population was used for the study because it was manageable. Structured questionnaire served as the instrument for data collection. Face validity of the instrument was ensured through the constructive inputs of five experts. Data generated were analyzed using mean scores and standard deviation while t-test statistic and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to test the five null hypotheses at .05 level of significance. Results showed that in Anambra State, financial constraint is a major impediment to solid waste collection; non-compliance of people to disposing waste at designated areas is a major impediment to waste storage; bad road network poses highest impediments to solid waste transportation; absence of appropriate technologies and ignorance on how to treat and recycle waste poses greater impediment to solid waste treatment; poor recycling method indicates the highest impediments to solid waste disposal while poor consumption by the agricultural sector is not an impediment. Also, the study found out that there is a significant difference in the impediments to solid waste management based on gender, job description, unlike job status, job experience and location at .05 level of significance. Majority of the respondents preferred organizing seminar, workshops and in-service training for workers as the educational optimization strategy, and upgrading workers’ working conditions as attitudinal optimization strategy, for solid waste management in Anambra State. Based on these findings, the study recommended among others that: solid waste management should be well funded and workers’ welfare improved; roads and inter streets road network should be improved; modern technologies should be provided and in-service training given to workers on how to use them.
