Social Factors & Waste Disposal Practices among Residents of Akungba Akoko, Ondo State

Abstract

The increasing numerical strength of the people inhabiting Akungba Akoko community due to the influx of staff and students’ population, occasioned by the citing of the State University in the community, is directly proportional to the increasing volume of solid waste generated from human activities. This raises concerns about the effectiveness of the waste management strategies put in place public and private institutions to ensure appropriate disposal because if its implication on the human's health and wellness. This study examined some social factors influencing of waste disposal practices among residents of Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State Nigeria. A double-staged random sampling was adopted to select the respondents in a dual process. Akungba was stratified into three zones (A, B &C) on the basis of core-cultural characteristics of the residents, using the Stratified Random Sampling. Zone A consists of residential areas accommodating the State University Students, Zone B consists of the areas where there are mixtures of both students and indigenes while Zone C consists of areas of high concentration of pure indigenous settlers. Simple Random Sampling Technique was then used to select 55 respondents from each of the zones making a total of 165 respondents for the entire study. The instrument, a structured questionnaire, titled Social factors & Waste Disposal Practices (SDWDPs) which contained both open and closed ended questions on Waste Disposal Practices was used to elicit data from the selected respondents. The instrument was validated through a pre-test survey, and a reliability co-efficient of 0.98 was achieved using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and were presented using descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Respondents' Level of Education, Pattern and Status of Residence and Age of respondents influenced the nature and pattern of waste disposal practices. The need to enforce relevant Waste Management Laws, in addition to engaging in a more enlightenment campaign on healthy waste disposal practices is recommended among others, towards the prevention of morbidity arising from poor management of wastes.