This paper describes a research project that has been conducted as part of the Kano Municipal waste management strategy. The aim is to quantify and to identify the existing locations of waste disposal sites by mapping their spatial distribution within the metropolitan Kano. QUICKBIRD satellite imageries; locations of existing waste disposal sites collected using Global Positioning System (GPS); and topographical map (1:5000 scale) of Kano metropolis were used to generate data for the study. The data were prepared and analysed using ArcMap 10.2.1 and Erdas Imagine 11 software to produce the spatial distribution maps for solid waste disposal sites within the metropolis. The result shows that out of the 300 existing waste disposal sites assessed, the city has fairly well-distributed waste disposal sites. Conversely, the disposal sites are more clustered in the centre of the metropolis than the outskirts. However, about 80 percent of the sites are either located very close to roads, settlements or water bodies. Also, while about 92 percent of the existing waste disposal locations are open space, only about 7 percent are containers (closed dumping sites). Correspondingly, about 89 percent are authorised dumping sites and only about 11 percent are unauthorised illegal. The study recommends that policymakers should intervene and relocate the existing unauthorized dump sites to more suitable areas.
Waste is a material discharged and discarded from each stage of daily human life activities, which leads to adverse impacts on human health and the environment [
Therefore, it can be argued that solid waste disposal is an integral part of waste management system, which requires much attention in order to avoid environmental pollution and health problems. However, most solid waste disposal sites are found on the outskirts of the urban areas where there are water bodies, crop fields, settlement, roads, etc. These sites are normally favourable locations for the incubation and proliferation of vermin, which transfer diseases that affect human health [
Similarly, the increasing volume and complexity of waste associated with modern economy pose a serious risk to ecosystems and human health. Every year, an estimated 11.2 billion tons of solid waste are collected worldwide [
This present study uses GIS and remote sensing and evaluates Kano metropolis’ existing solid waste disposal sites. Thus, the objective of the study is to map the spatial distribution of the existing solid waste disposal sites in Kano metropolis. The paper is structured in the following order: Sections 2 and 3 present some information about waste disposal sites, and materials and methods used for the study respectively. Section 4 presents and discusses the results, which highlights the locations, spatial distribution and assessment of the existing solid waste disposal sites in Kano metropolis. The conclusion and recommendations are presented in Section 5, which calls for the relocation of the existing unauthorized waste disposal sites within the metropolis.
Although the legal definition of municipal solid waste (MSW) varies from country to country, Kawai and Tasaki [
Certainly, the generation and disposal of waste is an intrinsic part of any country. In Nigeria, solid waste generated from domestic and commercial sources has grown significantly over the last few decades, which is connected with the increasing number of its population, particularly in the cities. The waste disposal practices include among others: self-disposal, discharge, illegal dumping, recycling, collection and final disposal [
Basically, an authorized collection site is an approved disposal point by the MSW agency. In many countries, the authorized collection sites may be either open-space or a closed container depending on the situation and alarming environmental factor associated with the location. For example, a disposal point that is too tight with a market and no other place deem suitable around it would necessitate the need for a container so that the waste would not be exposed to the public and nearby settlements. A container is a material made of metallic substances used for storage of refuse (refer to Section 4.2―
S/N | Agency | Period |
---|---|---|
1 | Kano Native authority | 1960-1969 |
2 | Kano Local Government Authority | 1969-1971 |
3 | Kano Metropolitan Planning Authority | 1971-1973 |
4 | Kano Ministry of Health | 1973-1976 |
5 | Kano municipal Local Government | 1976-1982 |
6 | Kano state Ministry of Housing | 1982-1983 |
7 | Ministry of Local Government and Community Development | 1983-1985 |
8 | Metropolitan Environmental Sanitation Task Force | 1986-1990 |
9 | Kano state Environmental Planning and Protection Agency (KASEPPA) | 1990-1994 |
10 | Refuse Disposal Agency (REDA) | 1994-1998 |
11 | Waste Disposal Company (WASCO) | 1998-1999 |
12 | Kano ministry of Environment | 1999-2003 |
13 | Refuse Management and Sanitation Board (REMASAB) | 2003-To Date |
Source: Adapted from Karry (2008) in Malumfashi et al. [
(MEBiG) [
On the other hand, illegal or unauthorized dumping implies that the waste generated is dumped in the vicinity of the source or in a place where such practice is prohibited, such as road site, open space, drainage and valleys. Gilgit-Bal- tistan-Environmental protection Agency (GB-EPA) ( [
The practice of disposing of solid waste indiscriminately is costly in terms of collection, transportation, disposal and recycling.
Kano’s waste can be categorized into street refuse, urban livestock manure, and industrial or semi-industrial wastewaters [
and on both authorized and unauthorized dump sites. For example, the free roaming of livestock particularly in the ancient city of Kano directly contributes to the huge pile of street refuse in the city. Malumfashi et al. [
Kano is the administrative centre of Kano state and the third largest city in Nigeria after Lagos and Ibadan. Kano metropolis is located between latitudes 11˚52'N and 12˚07'N and longitudes 8˚24'E and 8˚38'E. It is relatively at the centre of Kano state (see
more than 10 million [
Data for this study comprises both primary and secondary sources as follows: the primary data consists of about 300 waste disposal sites collected using Garmin handheld GPS from the eight LGAs within the metropolis. The secondary data consists a high-resolution QUICKBIRD imagery for 2014, topographical map of metropolitan Kano, at 1:5000 scale (obtained from Kano state ministry of Land) and solid waste disposal type and collection schedule from REMASAB.
The schema of the methodology used for this study is presented in
The various locations of the existing solid waste disposal sites are displayed in
This finding is contrary to the initial view of the researchers, whose preliminary investigation of the disposal sites prior to the actual study suggested that majority of the sites are illegal. Similarly, it was observed that the concentration of waste disposal sites decreases from the city centre as one move outwards. This was connected with the high concentration of economic activities and population in the city centre compared to the outskirts of the metropolis. This position was earlier put forward by Lancelet and Nija [
and economic activities in Thodupuzha municipality, Idukki district of Kerala state in India. Overall, unauthorized waste disposal sites constitute significant problems of many local authorities particularly in the suburbs or large urban areas of the developing countries. It is also our position that it is an environmental crime to illegally dispose of on public or private open plots or even discharged in the drains or water bodies, which may result in clogging of drains, pollution of water resources and increase in unsanitary conditions of the urban areas.
Open dumpsites in developing urban cities are characterized by indiscriminate waste disposal. They are uncontrolled and therefore pose major health threats, which affect the landscape of urban cities [
Location | Ward | LGA | Site Type | Status | Area (m2) | Tons |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rijiyar Zaki | Rijiyar Zaki | Ungogo | Open Space | Authorised | 221 | 111 |
Kofar Mazugal | Gwammaja | Dala | Open Space | Authorised | 2000 | 16,000 |
Unguwa Uku Tasha | Unguwa Uku | Kumbotso | Open Space | Authorised | 3500 | 14,000 |
Unguwa Uku Behind Sec. Tarauni | Unguwa Uku | Tarauni | Open Space | Authorised | 4000 | 10,800 |
Bakin Bulo Yammadawa | Dorayi | Gwale | Open Space | Authorised | 7452 | 22,356 |
Hajj Camp (Kwakwachi) | Kwachiri | Fagge | Open Space | Authorised | 9000 | 27,000 |
Hauren Joka | Zango | KMC | Open Space | Un-authorised | 9000 | 90,000 |
Dakata Yan Gwangwan | Dakata | Nassarawa | Open Space | Authorised | 15,000 | 60,000 |
Gwale Cemetary | Sani Mainage | Gwale | Open Space | Un-authorised | 120,000 | 24,000 |
As highlighted in
Solid waste disposal and management services are public services, in which the local authorities or respective municipal agencies should be responsible for its delivery. Even though private and individuals are involved in this task, it is imperative that municipal authorities should remain in charge of this task in order to achieve an overall metropolitan-wide consistency in solid waste management success. Similarly, private enterprise should be encouraged to participate more under appropriate conditions, to provide similar services provided by the public authorities. It is also important that the authorities should involve all stakeholders (private waste collectors, citizens, industries, academicians and various governmental and non-governmental environmental organizations) whenever it is planning for its solid waste management schemes.
The study used remote sensing satellite data and GIS in understanding the spatial distribution of existing waste disposal sites in Kano metropolis. The results of the study have shown that most of the waste disposal sites are not properly located because much consideration is not given to the environment and social implications of the current trend. It has also been noted that the distribution of solid waste disposal sites is related to the number of economic activities present in a particular area. That is why the disposal points are numerous at the centre of the metropolis compared to other places.
It should also be noted that the Kano state government has an agency (REMASAB) that supervises the activities of waste generation and collection; and a policy that encourages an end of month sanitation exercise that is aimed at cleaning the city. This paper suggests that the activities of such agency should be reviewed periodically in order to address the issue of illegal dumping of waste in areas that do not conform to the standards. Similarly, measures should be put in place to step up more stringent policies of waste dumping violation. The present policing of the performance of the policy programmes are inadequate because there is no recourse for periodic checks of the aftermath in order to assess the success or failure of the programmes. The lack of these periodic checks has resulted in the failure of most programmes in the country.
This paper suggests a further detailed research on the suitability assessment of the existing solid waste disposal sites, refuse collection, disposal and management in order to address the problem systematically. This is crucial because many diseases are a waste and refuse related, which can easily be spread out from the disposal or dumping sites.
This research was funded by the Nigerian Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The authors also wish to acknowledge REMASAB staff for their cooperation during field investigation.
Naibbi, A.I. and Umar, U.M. (2017) An Appraisal of Spatial Distribution of Solid Waste Disposal Sites in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 5, 24-36. https://doi.org/10.4236/gep.2017.511003