Vol. 2 No. 1 (2025): MAAUN International Multi-Disciplinary Journal of Research and Innovations (MIMJRI)
Articles

Household Solid Waste Management Practices and Environmental Health Risks in Kano State, Nigeria

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  • Dauda Muhammad Idris
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59479/jiaheri.v2i1.165
Categories

Published 10/20/2025

Keywords

  • Solid waste management,,
  • household practices,,
  • environmental health,,
  • waste disposal,,
  • sanitation,,
  • Nasarawa LGA,,
  • Kano State.
    • ...More
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How to Cite

Idris, D. M. (2025). Household Solid Waste Management Practices and Environmental Health Risks in Kano State, Nigeria. Journal of Institute of Africa Higher Education Research and Innovation (IAHERI), 2(1), 204–218. https://doi.org/10.59479/jiaheri.v2i1.165

Abstract

Improper household solid waste management remains an important environmental health concern in many rapidly growing urban communities in Nigeria. Inadequate waste storage, irregular collection, open dumping, indiscriminate disposal and open burning can contribute to environmental pollution and create conditions that encourage the presence of disease vectors. This study examines household solid waste management practices and associated environmental health concerns in selected communities of Nasarawa Local Government Area, Kano State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted for the proposed study. A sample of 384 household respondents was used to demonstrate the presentation and analysis of the study variables. Data were organized around respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitudes towards solid waste management, household waste-handling practices, environmental sanitation conditions and self-reported environmental health concerns. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations, were used to present the results, while Pearson correlation was used to demonstrate relationships among knowledge, attitude and practice scores. The simulated results suggest that although many respondents possess a reasonable understanding of the environmental implications of poor waste disposal, this knowledge does not consistently translate into appropriate household practices. Open dumping, irregular waste collection, limited waste separation and inadequate recycling were prominent features of the findings. The results also demonstrate how the presence of exposed refuse, flies, rodents and blocked drainage channels may be examined alongside residents reported environmental health concerns. The study highlights the importance of strengthening household environmental health education, improving waste collection services, supporting waste recovery initiatives and enforcing appropriate environmental sanitation measures.

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