Public Health Implications of Poor Municipal Waste Management in Nigeria

Abstract

Management of municipal solid waste in Nigeria has suffered neglect from the government, environmental agencies and the general public. This negligence leads to several health issues such as direct injuries from contaminated sharp objects, water contamination by excreta and heavy metal components of municipal solid waste as well as floods resulting from drain obstructions. All these culminate in the possibilities for the transmission of food and water borne zoonoses, vector-borne diseases and the emergence and re-emergence of new zoonoses. To ensure environmental protection and public health, more efforts are required by the government, environmental agencies and the general public. These efforts should be geared towards public enlightenment, enactment and enforcement of policies and legislations on sanitation, improvement of funding, monitoring and supervision, recycling waste and development of landfills to improve the standard of solid waste management in Nigeria.