Socio-Environmental, Residential and Health Effects of Waste Dumpsites in Igando- Alimoso area of Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Urban planners and scholars have long been concerned about the negative impacts of improper management of waste on the quality of life of urban residents globally. This study therefore examined the socioenvironmental, residential and health impacts of waste dumpsites in Igando-Alimoso area of Lagos Nigeria using a cross sectional design to survey residents around the dumpsite facilities. Results showed that the waste dumpsites/landfill facilities have negative social effects resulting from the discomforting odors that ooze out regularly in the area. There was a perception of the landfills as constituting social nuisance to the community. The residents believed that the landfills were responsible for flooding, groundwater pollution, traffic jams, traffic noise, and residential dissatisfaction in the area. Also, in terms of health, waste landfills at Igando were perceptively linked with many diseases around the area, chief among which are typhoid, malaria, dysentery and cholera. With a Chi-square X²= 72.56, DF=4, p< 0.05, at 95% confidence level, it was established that waste dumpsites were responsible for some illnesses in the study area. This study has strong policy implications for urban planning, real estate and public health in Lagos.