Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1. WASTE MANAGEMENT

The term waste management is used in reference to the processes and action deemed

necessary in the management of waste right from the initial stage of waste inception to the final

stage of waste disposal. Waste management usually involves the collection of waste material, it

transportation, its treatment, and finally its disposal all while monitoring and regulating the

process of waste management as well as waste-related laws, knowhow, and economic tools.

Waste management involves working with various forms of waste including solid, liquid, and

gases, all of which have varying methods of disposal as well as management. According to waste

management experts there are various types of waste which include; household, industrial,

municipal, biological, organic, radioactive, and biomedical wastes.

i. Household Waste: Household waste commonly referred to as domestic or residential

waste referees to the disposable material generated in households. Household waste is

usually believed to comprise of both non-hazardous waste and hazardous waste. Non-

hazardous waste which is defined as any waste that is perceived to be of no harm to

the environment and its inhabitant’s health includes the likes of leftover food scraps,

bottles, paper, etc. all of which can be composted or recycled. Hazardous waste which

is defined as wastes that contain properties making it potentially dangerous to the

environment as well as its inhabitant’s health includes the likes of household cleaners

and batteries. It is therefore deemed quite important to handle hazardous waste safely

in order to ensure that they are properly disposed in order to prevent them from

causing any harm.

 Image of Household Waste

ii. Industrial Waste: Industrial waste is defined as the waste produced as a result of

industrial activity which is inclusive of any material rendered unusable during the

manufacturing process in manufacturing factories, mines, as well as at mills.

Industrial waste usually includes the likes of scrap metal, dirt and gravel, oil, scrap

lumber, and even vegetable matter from eateries just to mention a few. Industrial

waste comes in varying forms including solids, semi-solids, or even in the form of

liquids. Just like household waste, industrial waste also includes both hazardous

waste and non-hazardous waste. Industrial waste is known to pollute the environment

including immediate soil as well as adjacent water bodies contaminating underground

water, rivers, lakes, and even coastal water i.e. seas and oceans.

Image of Industrial Waste

iii. Municipal Waste: Municipal solid waste (MSW), often referred to as trash or

garbage is considered to be waste that consists of the everyday items collected after

public discarding. Municipal waste is considered to be the most ubiquitous

contributor of waste. Municipal waste is believed to comprise of both liquid and solid

wastes. Solid waste incorporates homogenous and heterogeneous wastes from urban

and periurban areas. Today municipal waste is considered to be a major cause of

health and environmental concerns given the fact that the amount municipal solid

waste is continuously growing all across the globe as a result of increased human

activities, urbanization, as well as economic growth.

Image of Municipal Waste

iv. Biological Waste: Biological waste is considered to be any material containing or

that has been contaminated by any biohazardous agents. A biohazardous agent is a

biological agent in nature that has the ability to self-replicate as well as the capability

to produce deleterious effects in biological organisms. Biological waste includes, but

is not limited to; Petri dishes, needles, blood vials, personal protective equipment,

surgical wraps, as well as syringes.

 Image of Biological Waste

v. Organic Waste: Organic waste, also referred to as biodegradable waste is considered

to be any material that is capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living

organisms. Organic waste is usually a product of either plants or animals and includes

the likes of green waste, food waste, as well as non-hazardous wood waste just to

mention a few. Organic waste is biodegradable material that has the capability of

being broken down into methane, carbon dioxide, or even simple organic molecules.

Image of Organic Waste

Throughout the entire waste manage management process health issues are considered to

be a major concern. This is because throughout the entire waste management process various

health issues can arise, both directly and indirectly: directly, health issues could arise as a result
of handling solid waste, and indirectly health issues may arise as a result of the consumption of

contaminated water or foods. Waste management is therefore aimed at significantly reducing the

adverse effects of waste material on humans, the environment, as well as planetary resources and

aesthetics. A great portion of the waste management process deals with management of

municipal solid waste which is greatly generated by industrial, commercial, and household

activity. Proper waste management is therefore deemed as quite essential in the building of a

population-free environment even despite the fact that various countries all across the globe

especially developing nations are facing various challenges in the implementation of waste

management techniques.

Effective management of waste is believed to involve the of the 7R’s; - Refuse, Reduce,

Reuse, Repair, Repurpose, Recycle and Recover. Of the 7R’s Refuse and Reduce are believed to

be in relation to non-creation of waste through the act of refusing to purchase products deemed

as non-essential subsequently reducing the consumption of these non-essential products. Reuse

and Repair involve the increased usage of products already in existence without having to

substitute various parts of the product. Repurposing and Recycling of waste involves the

maximizing of product usage while recovering of waste involves the recovery of implanted

energy in waste materials which is also considered to be the least favored as well as the least

effective practice of waste management.

1.2. PRINCIPLES OF WASTE MANAGEMENT

Today modern waste management processes ensure that they facilitate the efficient usage of

valuable raw materials as well as energy. This is primarily because with significantly reduced

levels of waste the environment is able to thrive, the globes population is protected, and its
resources saved. Below are the principles of waste management that are used in the facilitation of

the waste management processes:

1.2.1. Waste Management Hierarchy

The waste management hierarchy is perceived to be a concept that is used in the ranking

of waste management decisions at both the individual and organizational levels, applying to all

waste streams which are complete flow of waste from domestic or industrial source all the way

through to recovery, recycling and final disposal. The waste hierarchy is commonly portrayed as

a five-tier inverted pyramid highlighting the least favored method of waste management to the

most preferred method. The waste management hierarchy aims to promote waste prevention and

reduction. The waste management hierarchy is portrayed as a pyramid given that the basic

principle is that policies ought to promote measures aimed at preventing the generation of waste.

The next preferred action in the five-tier inverted pyramid is aimed at seeking an alternative use

for the waste products generated. This is followed by the idea of recycling which involves

composting the waste products. Following is the idea of material recovery and waste-to-energy

which is then followed by the final action which is disposal which is perceived to be the final

resort for waste products that are unable of being prevented, diverted or even recovered.

Generally, the waste management hierarchy is a representation of the progression of waste

materials and products through the waste management pyramid’s sequential stages with the

hierarchy representing the final stages of the life-cycle for each product.
 Image of the waste management hierarchy pyramid

1.2.2. The Lifecycle of a Product

The product life cycle is used to illustrate how new products are processed from raw

materials to consumed products before they are disposed at the end of the products useful life.

All products are believed to have environmental implications beginning with the extraction of

raw materials through to the manufacturing, distributing, consuming, and finally the disposing

stages of the product’s lifecycle. Life cycle assessment is deemed to be a waste management

principle that is aimed at reducing the environmental impacts a product has throughout all its

useful life. An example of life cycle thinking includes the disposal of an older and warns out

washing machine and replacing it with a much newer and more energy -efficient one. Even

despite the fact that the disposal of the older washing machine creates waste, the environmental

impact of the older washing machine is significantly lowered compared to the continued usage of

the older washing machine given the fact that usage of the older machine is energy intensive.
 Image of a product life cycle

1.2.3. Principle of Proximity

The proximity principle is a waste management principle that implies that waste products

and materials ought to be managed closely to its initial point of production. The principle

recognizes the fact that waste handling as well as the transportation of waste has environmental

implications as well as additional disposal cost. The principle of proximity therefore raises

awareness on the importance of proper waste management at a product’s initial production stage

as well as encouraging the ownership of the issue of improper waste management at the local

level.

1.2.4. Resource Efficiency

The principle of resource efficiency involves using the planet’s limited resources in lower

and reduced amounts in order to facilitate the production of the same quantity of a products or

services. The principle of resource efficiency is aimed at reducing the pressure on the Earth’s

finite resources, thus significantly decreasing the environmental impact through the reduction of

wastage of raw materials during the production stages all the way to the later disposal stages of a
product. The resource efficiency principle has been greatly utilized during the addressing of the

issue of sustainable waste management by guaranteeing that the growing gap between the rate at

which resources are being consumed and the rate at which these resources are being replenished

is being significantly reduced. Examples of resource-efficient systems include producing

lightweight yet durable products, decreased packaging, the replacement of plastic packaging with

more eco-friendly means of packaging just to name a few.

1.3. WASTE MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA

Studies reveal that well over 2 billion tons of solid waste which includes trash, garbage,

discarded materials as well as refuse is produced all around the globe in a single year. Out of

these 2 billion tons of solid waste produced Nigeria is believed to contribute an estimated 32

million tons of solid waste making Nigeria the leading producer of solid waste in the entire

continent of Africa every year. Nigeria’s waste management has on several occasions been

deemed as problematic with the lack of proper waste management in the region resulting in

negative effects not only for the environment as well as the nation’s 213.4 million inhabitants.

The increase of solid waste produced in the nation is credited to the country’s increased

economic and developmental activities which are a result of the nation’s increased production

and consumption patterns as well as the country’s increased urban migration. All across the

globe proper waste management processes which see the recycling and repurposing of waste

products and materials are being used to create employment opportunities, wealth, as well as

several other advantages for the environment, societies, as well as the art scene. Unfortunately,

this is not the case in Nigeria.

1.3.1. The Impact of Improper Waste Management in Nigeria
Today Nigeria is listed amongst the globe’s heaviest bears of the burden of malaria

globally with the nation’s registering 31.8% of the globe’s traceable deaths resulting from

malaria. In 2019 a total of 187,437 Nigerians living in Nigeria are believed to have lost their

lives as a result of malaria with the death toll increasing to 199,689 in 2020 marking a 6.5%

increase in deaths resulting from malaria in the region. In 2019 Nigeria recorded a total of 60.37

million cases of malaria with this figure experiencing a 6.8% increase in 2020 where the nation

recorded 64.46 million cases of malaria infections. Studies reveal that refuse dumps situated all

across the nation almost in every region are the leading breading sites for mosquitoes in Nigeria.

Other diseases in the region that can be traced to the nation’s poor waste management include the

likes of cholera, bronchitis, typhoid, asthma, as well as diarrhea. In 2021, the country recorded a

total of 111,062 cases of cholera with 3,640 deaths being reported resulting from cholera

infections all across the nation.

Improper waste management processes in Nigeria are believed to have resulted in

increased surface-water pollution in the region. Surface-water pollution is believed to be as a

result of increased municipal waste in the region. However, studies also seem to indicate that the

increased surface-water pollution in Nigeria is also to be credited to the rising levels of industrial

waste being produced across the nation. It has been established that dumpsites across the nation

are a crucial source of surface-water pollution and a great threat the environment. This is because

the physicochemical variables as well as heavy metal concentrations of water bodies situated

near dumpsites in the nation are believed to have exceeded the World Health Organization’s

(WHO) specified safety limits. There is therefore the growing need to relocate dumpsites away

from water bodies all across the region in order to minimize the leaching of leachates into the

nation’s water bodies.

 Improper waste management processes in Nigeria are also believed to play a big role in

the pollution of air all across the nation. Air pollution resulting from lack of proper waste

management in the country is credited to land fillings as well as open air-burring of waste. Land

filling and open air-burring of waste are believed to result in the possible emission of hazardous

pollutants which have negative implications once exposed to human contact. In Nigeria the

monitoring of air quality is done periodically and therefore environmental protection agencies

are unable to adequately identify buffer zones making it even more difficult to adequately protect

the nation’s public health and overall wellbeing. Several environmental protection agencies have

established that the leading cause of air pollution in Nigeria is open air-burring of waste which

has greatly contributed to high pollutant levels being experienced in a majority of the cities in

Nigeria.

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA)

which is the country’s environmental agency of the Federal Government has up to 24 offices

situated across the nation’s six geo-political zones is charged with the responsibility of proper

waste management all across the nation. However, following the poor state of the country’s

waste management processes it is quite clear that NESREA have significantly failed to live up to

its mandate with waste products and materials being found scattered across almost every street

across almost every town in the nation. According to the harmful waste act of 2004, it is

prohibited to carry, deposit, as well as dump any harmful waste material or products on any land,

territorial waters, or even any other related thereto. However, NESREA is believed to have failed

miserably in the enforcement of this law as well as several other laws on proper waste disposal

and management.
 Waste management is also know to directly impact climate change efforts with proper

waste management processes being deemed as important factors in the conception of climate

protection policies and activities. Poorly managed waste is believed to have a detrimental impact

on the emission of greenhouse gases making the issue of improper waste management one that

requires urgent consideration. Today recycling is globally considered as one of the most effective

methods of waste management. However, the method of waste management is yet to gain any

meaningful attention in Nigeria. However, the good news is that in the last few years the nation

has seen the emergence of a few “wastepreneurs” who are individuals or organizations aimed at

uplifting informal waste collectors while simultaneously providing a professional waste

management services. Despite the nation’s Waste Management Policy containing climate change

considerations the nation’s actual actions towards proper waste management processes ought to

the nation’s policies especially as the nation aims to successfully achieve its 2060 Climate

Agenda.

As highlighted, proper waste management is deemed quite important to facilitate

sustainable living not only for individuals living in Nigeria but for individuals all across the

globe. For this project the paper aims to analyze methods of proper waste management that will

enhance sustainable waste management in construction processes across Nigeria ensuring that

the people living in the region live a sustainable life. The project will therefore investigate and

analyze waste management methods that are deemed capable of enhancing the management of

waste in Nigeria. Throughout the project the paper shall focus on analyzing the types of

construction waste that affect the environment in Nigeria, investigating the various causes of

wastes in Nigerian construction sites, clearly highlighting the impact of construction waste in
Nigeria, and clearly highlighting sustainable waste management methods that sufficiently deal

with construction waste in Nigeria.