Assessment of Private Sector Participation in Sanitary Disposal of Refuse among the Inhabitants of Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: This study addressed the assessment of private sector participation in sanitary disposal of refuse among the inhabitants of Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State. The increase in the volume of refuse materials discharged by consuming population to the environment and deterioration of environmental quality in urban areas have been an issue of major concern for many governments in developing countries. Objective: To improve the effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of refuse management services, the Government have involved the participation of private sectors, hence the need for this study. Methodology: Descriptive survey is employed for this investigation; this study focused on strategic areas, especially historical and commercial areas within the eleven political wards of the local government where two hundred and thirty respondents were randomly selected; data were collected through structured questionnaires; two hundred and fifty questionnaires were administered and only two hundred and thirty were retrieved. The data obtained from the respondents were analyzed using table and simple percentage. The findings revealed that 40.8% of the respondents claimed that the registered private sector practitioners were regular and effective in collection and sanitary disposal of refuse while 31% of the respondents that engaged them were satisfied with their methods of refuse disposal. 74% of respondents believed that involvement of private sector participation in integrated Waste Management would help solve the problem of municipal waste crisis. Conclusion/ Recommendation: The Private Sector participation was not enough to check the problems associated with solid waste management, rather, a holistic approach where all actors (all and sundry)-householders, formal or informal waste collectors, Environmental Health Officers, scraps  collectors, NGOs, information manager, media, town planners, developers, academia should be involved by the Government in the policy formulation and implementation of sustainable solid waste management practices.