ABSTRACT

Solid waste management is a pressing issue with significant environmental, health, and economic implications. The aim of this study is to analyze the status of Solid waste management within the halls of residence within the University of Benin, Ugbowo campus. Five halls of residence within the university were administered 200 questionnaires to students who were residents of this hostels. The questionnaires were pretested, well structure and redefined. The result of this finding showed that 66% of respondents were males while 34% were females. 92% of respondents were single indicating that about 94.5% were between the economically active age group between 18-24 years old. Data from this study shows that about 97.5% of respondents are undergraduate students, 2.5% were postgraduate students. Plastic waste had the highest had the highest percentage of 84%, followed by organic waste (81.5%), paper (80.5%), textile (22%), glass bottles (17.5%), metal (15.5%), wood (9%) and others (0.5%). Waste basket (82%) appears to be the principal means through which respondents collect their waste followed by plastic bags (37.5%), carton (16%), drum (9%) and others (7%). 78% of respondents said they put their waste in public bins, 35.5% said they dump their waste on the roadside/open dump, 3% in a waste van. About 45.5% of respondents ticked Yes to compliance of waste sorting while 54.5% of respondents ticked No. According to the result of the study, 50% of respondents opined that the state of public bins within the university of Benin are not in a good state,36% opined that public bins with the university were in a good state, 10.5% said the public bins were rusting/rotting,7% didn’t know the state of public bins within the university. A majority of respondents Strongly Agreed (57.5%) and agree (27%) that lack of service quality was responsible for poor solid waste management. The data from this study also shows that about 15.5% of respondents said that the condition of the university environment has been much better in the last five years, 19.5% said it is a little better, 31% said it was the same, 12% said it was a little worse and 22% said it was much worse. The implementing of evidence-based interventions, Universities can lead efforts towards a suitable and sustainable disposal system to promote a healthier environment.