CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background
of the Study
Domestic polythene waste management
is problematic and has not been successfully controlled. Polythene is a
substance created for useful purposes, after use constitute waste, if no longer
needed.
Waste according to the world Health
Organization (1998), is defined as “something which the owner no longer wants
at a given time which have lost perceived market value”. There exists different
composition of solid waste, which includes garbage, rubbish. Garbage is the
decomposable waste from food, rubbish that contains non-decomposable waste like
polythene and sachet water bags, glass metal some of the non-decomposable
rubbish are equally not biodegradable especially plastic and glass. These
materials are not decomposed or degraded by natural process in the environment.
They are problematic when dealing with their disposal (Uchegbu, 1998).
Hundreds of new products are
appearing in the market every day, which are dramatically proliferating into
common means like. Polythene is one such product, which due to its ease of use,
hardness, light weight, waterproof nature and low cost has found a wide
applicability in modern society. It is largely used for packing and sharing and
is most widely used as carry-bags. As the consumption of polythene increases
enormously, so has the accumulation of waste polythene particularly in urban
areas. Polythene bags lying in garbage heaps and blowing here and there has
become a common sight today at homes, which not only is an eye sore but also
has serious environmental implications.
Use of polythene has become a part
of everyday life for the people of Abakaliki. Market mechanism drives people to
use polythene, because it is cheap and easily available. Again, it is tough,
water proof and easy to carry and throw. People go to the market empty-handed
and return home with a number of polythene bag containing shopping goods.
Polythene came into the market for
commercial use in 1982 and a competition between polythene and paper bags
ensured but was soon taken over by the former. It became popular commercially
more than the other bags due to its low price and portability. When people
started to use and dispose polythene randomly, and with no effective disposal
system, the environmental consequences led to worsening the situation.
Owing to the problems of undegradable
nature of the Polythene and pure water sachet pack) caused by indiscriminate
disposal, which causes detrimental effect on the environment. With inefficient
agencies and inefficient strategies for solid waste management, the handling of
domestic polythene waste has become such a problem that the sanitation
authority finds it so difficult to cope with.
Hence, the focus of this study is to
unveil the effects of this ugly situation in Abakaliki metropolis from the
perspective of the generator (the residents) and the intractable problems by
some observers.
1.1 Goal
and Objectives
The goal of this study is to
determine the effects of indiscriminate disposal of domestic polythene waste in
Abakaliki urban physical environment with a view to evolve a sound waste
management strategy. In order to achieve this goal, the objectives are:
(i) To
determine the causes of indiscriminate disposal of domestic polythene waste and
its effects in Abakaliki urban physical environment.
(ii) To
examine the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the current method and pattern
of polythene waste disposal in the study area.
(iii) To
ascertain users attitude towards the disposal of polythene in the area.
(iv) To
examine the level of environmental awareness of residents (stake holders)
(v) To
examine the rate of polythene waste generation and disposal.
(vi) To make recommendation based on the above
findings.
The complete work has Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
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