Municipal solid waste (MSW) management is a critical concern in rapidly urbanizing areas, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Nigeria, where population growth, rapid urbanization, and poverty worsen waste generation challenges. This thesis focuses on Abuja, a fast-growing city facing escalating MSW issues. With a projected population increase to 6.1 million by 2035, there is a pressing need to assess the capacities of existing waste dumpsites. A previous study revealed a current MSW generation rate of 973,557 tonnes in 2023, Abuja faces environmental and health threats if not managed effectively. Indiscriminate waste disposal risks air, soil, and water pollution, impacting public health and the environment. The research aims to comprehensively evaluate the state of MSW management in Abuja, focusing on dumpsite capacities. The objectives include assessing current dumpsite capacities, estimating MSW compositions, projecting future waste generation trends based on population growth, and proposing efficient dumpsite distribution for effective MSW disposal. The study's key findings include variations in waste composition among dumpsites with organic waste composition above 50%, insufficient capacities to accommodate future waste generation due to the findings that the current dumpsites capacity is 3,182,313.2m3 while the prediction for waste generation from 2024 to 2035 is 49,385,574.2m3, and a significant projected increase in waste generation by 2035. The linear regression model highlights the importance of adaptive waste management practices, and six potential dumpsite locations are suggested.
Key words: Municipal Solid Waste, Dumpsites, Waste, Dumpsite Capacity, Linear Regression.
|
