A Comparative Study on Solid Waste Management Methods Used in the US and Nigeria
[Thesis]
Badejo, Olohigbe Precious
Heidari, Farzin
Texas A&M University - Kingsville
2020
69
M.S.
Texas A&M University - Kingsville
2020
Solid waste management practice is a major public health concern because of potential risk to health and the environment if not properly handled. It could be more problematic if the designated governmental bodies do not enact laws to encourage proper waste management practices. This study investigated the differences in solid waste management processes in the United States and Nigeria. Data was collected from the US and Nigeria's environmental protection agencies, World Bank Global Database (2018), and other relevant studies. The areas of interest in data collection were; recycling methods, waste separation, energy recovery, and collection and disposal methods. Both descriptive and inferential data analysis methods were used to help analyze and interpret the data using Microsoft Excel. The t-test analysis conducted to test whether at, α = 0.05 showed significant differences in waste generation and composition in both countries showed as expected. The findings concluded that the US produces more paper waste which are easily recycled and composted and therefore, explains the reason US manages waste better than Nigeria. The rates of solid waste collection also differed significantly between the US and Nigeria. Recommendations to reduce waste from source and to improve the government's waste legislation can help improve management in Nigeria.