Quantifying and Characterizing Solid Waste of Major Dumpsites in the Otuoke Community

Nigeria, the most populous black nation with the largest solid waste generation in Africa is challenged with waste management and environmental hygiene. This also reflected in the waste management capacity of the Otuoke (both on campus and in the community); thereby constituting environmental pollution because tons of refuse are seen littered within Otuoke. This work seeks to quantify and characterized solid waste generation within Otuoke, Bayelsa State in order to provide information for solid waste management. The waste samples were collected after 24hours of clearing of the dumpsite for 5 days at the intervals of 15days within four months. The total weight of waste generated in Otuoke from the sample collected is estimated to be 3083 kg; where the average waste produced per day is 616.6 kg and one person deposit 0.85kg/capita/day. 250kg of Fourteen (14) Solid waste samples were characterized into two categories: Organic Waste (OW) which is made up; Wood wastes, Food waste, Manure, Garden waste, and Inorganic Waste (IW) which are Tin/metals, Polythene, Paper, Hair, Rubber/plastic, Glass Baby Diapers, Battery, Hospital waste, Foam/floater. It was discovered that IW with a total weight of 131.504kg and 52.61% is higher than OW which has a total weight of 118.496kg with 47.39%, however food waste of OW rewasroorders.23% which is the highest of the all the fourteen solid waste characterized, and rubber/plastic 18.82% is the highest in IW. More dumpsites should be adequately positioned to meet the demand of increasing population and sensitization its usage, waste should be characterized, the organic wastes to turned to organic fertilizer then rubber/plastic and polythene should be recycled