On the Assessment of Solid and Hazardous Waste Management in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

This study examines the management of both solid and hazardous waste constituents in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. For this purpose, the study area was divided into four zones and were further classified into low, medium and high income groups. For effective analysis, the frequency of refuse collection from various location and waste disposal methods were also considered. Results in general indicate that there are no organized pattern of wastes disposal. Indiscriminate dumping of waste into open drains was prevalent among the low income group. The waste composition analysis indicate that metals constitute over 20% of the major component of waste from the low and medium income group while garbage accounts for 23% of the solid waste in the high-income group. Food waste such as fruits, remnants and other similar material are commonly found in the high-income group while their low-income counterparts litter the surroundings with such waste materials.