The Impact of Open Waste Dumps on Rental Values of Residential Properties in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

The study was undertaken in order to expose the negative impact of open waste dumps located in residential areas on residential real estate investment and the residential environment. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of open waste dumps on rental values of residential properties. The data used was gathered from a self administered questionnaire, interview, and observation. The study compared rents of residential properties located close to open waste dumps and those located further away in Rumuola and Rumuolumeni communities in Port Harcourt The research reveals that there is a difference in the rent of residential properties located close to the open waste dumps and those far away from the dumps. The study also reveals that the negative impact on rents was higher for “BACHA” than other dwelling units. The study also revealed that there is overcrowding in the dwelling units as high as 7 -8 persons per room which is injurious to health of the occupants. The authors recommend an extensive enlightenment campaign to the public, on the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste. The authors also recommend that the government should construct engineered sanitary landfill to reduce or possibly eliminate health risk, property investment risk in terms of income and value reduction and environmental problems. It is obvious that waste menace cannot be tackled by the government alone but a public ? private partnership approach should be adopted.