Penalty Point System Adaptation for Urban Solid Waste Assessment in Calabar Municipality, Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

Generation of wastes in major urban areas in Nigeria seems to be rising due to heightened consumption driven by swift urbanization. This study examined the environmental pollution consequences of solid waste, using Calabar municipality as a case study. The objectives were to illustrate the use of the Penalty Point System (PPS) as a method for assessing pollution (solid waste), to uncover the environmental pollution effects of inadequate solid waste management in Calabar Municipality, to explore various systems of solid waste disposal and management in the area, establish the connection between solid waste disposal issues and environmental sanitation, and to provide feasible recommendations for reducing the volume of solid waste generated along with improving management practices. The data for this research included a record of the number of waste dumps located in drainage systems and land surfaces with uncollected waste, as well as feedback from 200 distributed questionnaires. The penalty point system was applied to assign penalties to the locations where waste was not collected and where dumping in drainages occurred. The results indicated that the solid waste management system significantly impacts the environmental quality in urban settings. It was thus recommended that, as a long-term strategy, the government should implement, support, and maintain environmental education, which is essential to advance manufacturing technologies that promote the creation of consumer goods with bio-degradable packaging in order to minimizing waste generation.