ABSTRACT

 The study assess and analyze household waste management practices in Umuahia Metropolis. The objectives of this work are to: determine the concept of household waste in Umuahia metropolis; identify the existing waste management practices in different households; effectiveness of waste management systems in terms ofwaste reduction, recycling and proper disposal; determine the percentage volume of household wastes generated from households in Umuahia Metropolis. Random sampling techniques were used to determine a sample size of 200.respondents. Data from this study were generated from questionnaire administration and field survey on the measurement ofhousehold waste. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS statistical package. Based on the findings, the result on table 4.1 showed that more than half(53.5%) oflhe respondents are female. The result on table 4.2 revealed that 100% ofthe respondents generate waste in their households. The result on figure 4.1 revealed that majority of respondents (94.5%) reported generating agricultural waste and majority of respondents (78.5%) reported disposing of waste at the Asepa dumpsite. The results also revealed that 54.5% ofrespondents use different bins for waste separation, while 45.5% do not. The result further revealed that only 1.5% of respondents reported throwing waste into the drainage system. While Approximately 26.5% of respondents reuse old materials rather than buying new ones. The results on table 4.4 showed that the respondents strongly agreed that waste segregation at homes is perceived as one ofthe best methods to reduce the burden on those handling waste, reusing and utilizing products that can be used multiple times helps minimize waste generation, turning any kind ofwaste into something new or useful through recycling is effective and householders must be trained and educated on all categories of waste, and how to safely handle, store and dispose waste was effective on waste management systems in tenns of waste reduction, recycling and proper disposal with mean value of 2.73, 3.10. 3.59, 2.55 and 2.98 respectively. The result on table 4.5 showed the mean volume of household waste generated from Umuahia metropolis indicate that Finbarrs Rd having the highest mean rating (8.59) and Lagos Rd having the lowest mean value (4.97). The study concludes that household wastes are generated in the study area and managed effectively and the study recommends that local authorities implement a comprehensive waste segregation program, promote recycling and composting initiatives, and raise public awareness about responsible waste disposal practices.