CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Solid Waste consists of everyday items that is used and then
thrown away such as, product packaging, grass clippings,
furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances,
paint, and batteries. Wastes come from homes, schools, hospitals,
and businesses (EPA, 2011). Man, in an attempt to satisfy his daily
needs, engages in the production of goods and services. In the
process waste is generated (Beede and Bloom, 1995). Virtually all
aspects of mans productive activities involve the generation of
waste (Muhammad, 2007). The way these wastes are handled,
stored, collected and disposed can pose risk to the environment
and to public health.
Solid waste generation is experiencing a rapid increase all
over the world as a result of continuous economic growth,
urbanization and industrialization. It is estimated that in 2006 the
total amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated globally
reached 2.02 billion tones, representing a 7% annual increase
since 2003. It is further estimated that between 2007 and 2011,
global generation of municipal waste will rise by 37.3%,
equivalent to roughly 8% increase per year (Global Waste
Management Market Report 2007).
Solid waste management remains a major phenomenon and
one of the most intractable problems facing developing nations in
Africa, Asia and Latin America. Scavenging therefore is a
ubiquitous occurrence throughout the developing world. As a
result of the above, wastes and scavenging have generated
considerable research interests (Adeyemi, et al, 2001). Many
researchers have worked on various aspects of solid wastes and
these include waste magnitude (Fulani and Abumare, 1986);
waste characteristics (Adedibu, 1983, 1985 and 1986); disposal
problems (Odutola, 1986; Adedibu, 1986); factors affecting waste
generation (Onidundu-Amao, 1989; Ibitoye, 1995), recently waste
1

scavenging for poverty alleviation (Magaji and Dakye, 2011), and

quality of work life of waste scavengers (Engler, et al., 2009).
Waste generation according to Onibokun et al. (2000) is a
resultant of human activities, which leads to different types of
waste. Such activities include domestic, commercial, industrial,
agricultural, institutional and recreational. Solid wastes are
complex in nature depending on the sources of generations and
the environmental fate of the wastes once generated. Solid
wastes may be classified according to source, physical form or
chemical properties (Adamson, 1971; Brandsman, 1997; Fari,
1989). The volumes, classes and consistencies of waste
generated differ with national economy, socio-economic class,
socio-cultural habits and values. In the proposed life project, what
is of otmost importance are the volumes, characteristics, disposal
methods, processing and technological base for the management
of wastes (Cointreau, 1982).
Waste types identified on the basis of origin include urban
and municipal waste, industrial waste, domestic and household
waste, commercial waste, agricultural waste and mining waste
(Fari, 1989; Lukman, 1988; and Oluwande, 1978). By using
originas a criterion, the source of the waste or the activities and
processes responsible for generating them are considered as a
means for identification and classification.
Municipal solid waste in Malumfashi town are composed
mainly of paper, food scraps, vegetable matter, plastics,
mecvbnm,tals, textiles, rubber, and glass. The big challenge with
solid waste management in Malumfashi town is not only the
volume of the wastes, but also the composition of the wastes. All
categories of wastes including toxic or non-toxic, biodegradable or
non-biodegradable, recyclable or non-recyclable are dumped
together making their management very difficult. The reason(s)
for this attitudinal occurrence in developing countries may not be
farfetched. It could be as a result of lack of awareness, poverty,
population growth, and high urbanisation rates combine with lack
2

of governments policies on waste management issues especially

on waste management and separation. In places where there are
governments policies, the agencies saddled with the mandate to
enforce the policies are either under funded by the governments
or are not monitored for efficiency.
Waste management is a global environmental issue; solid waste management
in urban areas is one of major problems facing city planners all over the world. The
problem is especially severe in most developing countries where poor planning and
lack of adequate resources contribute to the poor state of municipal solid waste
management (Obirih-Operah, and Post, 2002; Mato, 1999; Doan, 1998; Mwanthi
et al, 1997). Solid waste management according to Ibrahim (2002) is the scientific
way or established procedure and sanctioned legislation for the collection,
transportation and disposal of waste products which is economically feasible and
environmentally viable. Warnless (2009) noted that waste management differs for
developed and developing nations, urban and rural areas, for residential and
industrial producers.
Recently, increased waste generation and indiscriminate disposal in the
major urban centers of Africa have shown that the problem of waste management
has become a monster which has rendered abortive most efforts being made by the
professionals, city and local governments, and state and federal authorities alike
(Onibokun et al., 2000).
According to Solomon (2009) an average Nigerian generates
about 0.49kg of solid waste per day. Almost 90% of the total
urban waste burden is generated from households and
commercial centers. A study by Onibokun et al. (2000) revealed
that as a result of improper management strategies, solid waste is
disposed in a way that create heaps of refuse littering the entire
landscape, road sides and commercial centres, even on the
premises of primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
The management of solid waste is far from being satisfactory
in Nigeria. Many parts of the cities and towns do not benefit from
any organized waste management services and therefore wastes
are unattended to, buried, burnt, or disposed haphazardly. In
areas where the authorities do the collection, it is often irregular
3

and sporadic. Recycling of waste is negligible while the methods

used for collection, transportation and final disposal are very
unsatisfactory. Waste when left unattended for a long time
constitutes serious health hazard, causes offensive odour,
pollutes underground water sources and decreases environmental
aesthetics and quality (Federal Ministry of Environment, 2005).
The inability to manage these wastes effectively in Nigeria
becomes an issue of great concern. This is because apart from the
destruction of aesthetics of landscape by the waste dumpsites,
some of the municipal solid wastes contain both organic and
inorganic toxic pollutants (such as heavy metals) that threaten
the health of humans and the entire ecosystem (Sridhar et al.,
1989). Proper management of solid waste is critical to the health
and wellbeing of urban residents (World Bank, 2003). Nigerians
had been concerned with solid waste disposal; but their concern
had not gone beyond physical removal of waste from the streets.
It has been a common practice to dispose solid wastes using open
dump or the use of an open burning. Solid waste is piling up faster
than finding satisfactory places to put them through scavenging
and other processes (Ajibade, 2007; Sada and Odemerho, 1988).
1.2 STATEMENT RESEARCH PROBLEM
The management of solid wastes has become one of the
greatest challenges facing State, local governments and
environmental protection agencies in Nigeria. The volume of solid
wastes generated continues to increase at a faster rate than the
ability of the agencies in Nigeria to surmount. The lack of ability of
the agencies to improve on the financial and technical resources
needed to parallel the rate of generation is an issue. The
deterioration of the urban environment in terms of irresponsibly
dumped and accumulated solid wastes is most apparent in our
urban lives and has caused a blighted environment.
In Malumfashi local government, solid waste has become
problematic because of its visibility at major roads in the local
4

government and the degradation of the environment. In most

areas in the local government, it is common site to find heaps of
waste in many places, besides those wastes that are scattered in
gutters, street corners and road sides.
Wastes pose serious environmental and health problems,
some of these problems are related to their major constituents,
viz. carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur. Certain toxic heavy
metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, minerals and manmade
synthetic chemicals present in wastes may contribute to
environmental
degradation that leads to poor health, diseases or death. There is
a need to treat
such wastes and bring them back into the cycle of life so that
ecological harmony is maintained. Some scrap metals also emit
potentially hazardous gases which may contaminate the air and
cause air pollution which may leads to respiratory track diseases.
Also some potentially hazardous materials such as contaminants
in scrap metals which may cause diseases needs to be removed
from the environment.
Our drainages, gutters and other water passages were turn to be refuse collection
centers thus causing flood during the rainy season and a vectors breading places
sometimes lead to unpleasant odor due to stagnant of the water.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
i. What are the types of solid waste generated in the study
area?
ii. What are the sources of the solid waste in the study
area?
iii. Who are the people involved in solid waste scavenging?
iv. What are the benefits of solid waste scavengers in the
study area?
1.4 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
1.4.1 Aim
The aim of the research is to determine the geographical
5

sources, nature of recyclable waste that are generated in

Malumfashi town and to determine how solid waste scavengers
contributes to the economy of Nigeria at large.
1.4.2 Objectives
The aim will be achieved through the following objectives.
i. To examine the types of solid waste generated in the
study area.
ii. To examine the sources of solid waste in the study
area.
iii. To examine the people involved in the scavenging
solid waste.
iv. To investigate problems encountered in solid waste
scavenging.
v. To find out whether the scrap retailers benefits or loss
in their business.
1.5 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
The alarming rate at which heaps of solid wastes occupy most
of Nigerian cities, coupled with the fact that 87% of Nigerians use
methods adjudged as insanitary, has not only constituted visual
blight and odor nuisance, but also encouraged the breeding of
rodents, mosquitoes and other pests of public health importance
with their attendant disease outbreak (Federal Ministry of
Environment, 2005). The increase in commercial, residential and
infrastructural development due to the population growth in
Malumfashi town is directly affecting the amount of waste
generation in the area. Thus, it is of vital importance to assess
solid waste scavenging for both planning and management
purposes in the study area.
The interest in this study has arisen from the researchers
observation of rise in the number of solid waste scavengers in
Malumfashi town, how they operate and how they contribute to
the economy of the nation at large. It also investigates on how
solid waste plays a role in environmental deterioration in the town
brought about solid waste that are frequently disposed along the
6

streets, gutters, drainage channels, rivers, abandoned plots of

land etc. poor waste disposal have been linked to lockage of
gutters and other drainage channels causing flood, poor
aesthetics, release of foul odor and greenhouse gases,
obstruction of traffic flow and pollution of surface and ground
water.

CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Solid waste is the term used to describe non-liquid waste materials arising
from domestic, trade, commercial, agricultural, industrial activities and from public
services. Waste management is a global environmental issue which concerns about
a very significant problem in todays world (ERSI, 2001). Solid Waste consists of
7

everyday items that is used and then thrown away such as, product packaging,
grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances,
paint, and batteries. Wastes come from homes, schools, hospitals, and businesses
(EPA, 2011).
2.2 DEFINITION OF SOLID WASTE
We need to ask question. What is waste? Under section 30 of
the control of pollution Act, the U.S.A 1974 (COP waste include:
any substance which constitutes a scrap material, effluent or
other unwanted surplus substance arising from the application of
any process, and substance or article which requires to be
disposal of as been broken, worn out, contaminated otherwise
spoiled. Waste can be defined as materials which are discarded
when the producer has no further use of them. Altenol (1996).
Consider such material as risk to the people and the environment.
We can dispose them or pass them onto a holder who is then
required to dispose them properly. The federal environment
protection act (1988) do not define waste however waste as the
term implied any solid, liquid or gaseous substances or materials
which being a scrap or being super flows, refuse or reject, is
disposed of or required to be disposed as unwanted, this is
environmental law necessarily, important a value element for a
substance or material that may be unwanted not withstanding
that it has some value.
2.3 MAJOR CLASSES OF SOLID WASTE
Municipal solid waste generally can be classified in term of
three major sources of generators. Residential, commercial and
industrial. Sometimes institutional sources are separated from
commercial sources and, those a fourth source is referred to as
instructional. In the traditional scheme of classification, residential
(domestic) solid waste consist of household garbage and rubbish,
or refuse. The garbage fraction is mostly in the form of wastes
derived from the preparation and consumption of food (e.g. meat
8

and vegetable scraps). An alternative term commonly used to

describe the garbage faction is Putrescible in the traditional
scheme, all waste not classified as garbage are classified as
rubbish the major constitutes of rubbish include glass, metal
and plastic wastes, yard and garden debris, wastepaper and
paper waste; it is against this backdrop that this chapter in tends
to review the impediments to effective and efficient waste
management for suitable development in katsina state.
2.4 WASTE ORIGIN AND CLASSIFICATION
Waste generation according to Onibokun et al. (2000) is a
resultant of human activities, which leads to different types of
waste. Such activities include domestic, commercial, industrial,
agricultural, institutional and recreational. Solid wastes are
complex in nature depending on the sources of generations and
the environmental fate of the wastes once generated. Solid
wastes may be classified according to source, physical form or
chemical properties (Adamson, 1971; Brandsman, 1997; Fari,
1989). The volumes, classes and consistencies of waste
generated differ with national economy, socio-economic class,
socio-cultural habits and values. In the proposed life project, what
is of utmost importance are the volumes, characteristics, disposal
methods, processing and technological base for the management
of wastes (Cointreau, 1982).
Waste types identified on the basis of origin include urban
and municipal waste, industrial waste, domestic and household
waste, commercial waste, agricultural waste and mining waste
(Fari, 1989; Lukman, 1988; and Oluwande, 1978). By using origin
as a criterion, the source of the waste or the activities and
processes responsible for generating them are considered as a
means for identification and classification. This criterion is
important also because it is discreet. It promotes easy illustration
and facilities a more detailed understanding on the nature of the
waste stream in question. Domestic and household waste for
9

example covers every manner of waste coming from domestic

and household activities. Pickford (1977) opined that the waste
involved will be of low profile because the origin and limits of the
waste are modest and much localized. Urban and municipal waste
in contrast will involve the complexities associated with a large
collection of domestic waste and much more. This would imply
that the geographical space, range of activities responsible for the
waste and the materials substances involved will be much
greater, making up a waste stream of high prolific status;
meaning a waste situation that is of serious proportions. Table 1
below gives a classification of materials comprising urban solid
wastes.
2.5.1 Table 1: Urban Solid Waste Classification
TYPE
DESCRIPTION
Garbage
Results from food marketing, proportioned
consumption (also called food wastes). It
contains putrescible organic material and
will decompose rapidly, especially in warm
weather. It needs special consideration due
to its nature of attracting vermin and of
producing strong odours.
Rubbish
This category consists of paper and paper
products, plastic cans, bottles, glass, metals,
ceramics, dirt, dust, yard and garden
wastes, etc. It also includes park and beach
refuse. Except for garden wastes, these
materials are non-putrescible.
Ashes
This is the residue from any combustion
process (i.e. fire places wood or coal heating
units etc) resulting from household activities
and on site incineration.
Demolition/Construc This class of refuse includes lumber, sticks,
tion
concrete, plumbing, waste electrical wiring
etc associated with the destruction of old
building and construction of new ones.
10

Special Wastes

Resulting from normal street cleaning

operations such as street sweeping,
roadside litter, catch basin debris, dead
animals and abandoned vehicles.
Treatment plant
Include the solid and semi-solid wastes from
water, waste water and industrial waste
treatment facilities.
Source: Klee, A. J. (1993)
Moreover, solid waste composition varies enormously; both
between locations and in the same country, and also from season
to season and even from day to day. Newenhouse and Smith
(2000) observes that the fraction of non-compostable waste
materials is typically more than 50% of the Municipal Solid Wastes
(MSW) in the cities of high income countries, 30-40% in middle
income cities and less than 20% in the cities of low income
countries. Of a particular importance is the content of vegetable
and putrescrible matter, which is typically in the range of 20-24%
in industrialised countries and 40-80% in low income developing
countries.
Municipal solid waste in Nigeria are composed mainly of
paper, food scraps, vegetable matter, plastics, metals, textiles,
rubber, and glass (Uba, 2008; Amusan, 2005 and Cointreau,
1982). The big challenge with solid waste management in major
Nigerian cities is not only the volume of the wastes, but also the
composition of the wastes. All categories of wastes including toxic
or non-toxic, biodegradable or non-biodegradable, recyclable or
non-recyclable are dumped together making their management
very difficult. The reason(s) for this attitudinal occurrence in
developing countries may not be farfetched. It could be as a
result of lack of awareness, poverty, population growth, and high
urbanisation rates combine with lack of governments policies on
waste management issues especially on waste management and
separation. In places where there are governments policies, the
agencies saddled with the mandate to enforce the policies are
11

either under funded by the governments or are not monitored for

efficiency (Cointreau, 1982 and Doan, 1998).
In the past few years man awareness of the environmental
has greatly increased mostly as a result of cries of ecologists and
observing the environmental damage already done. The
environment is everything that surrounds us. We are also part of
the environment as such the environment is huge pool of
resources that help us satisfy our need and fulfill our wants
(Lawali, 2007). Our environment consists of air, water, land e.t.c
pollution occurs due to release into environment of substances
which are capable of causing discomfort to man and other living
organisms supported by the environment (Abubakar 2006). As is
well known fact that environmental problem in any given center
are usually many in form and mode of occurrence. Similarly, their
effect on the physical on the living elements in the environment in
which they exist usually transcend the immediate environment
(Abdullahi, 2006). Every human society, be it rural or urban,
industrial and most technologically advance society. Dispose of
certain kings of by products and solid waste products, which when
injected in to the biosphere in quantities so great many have
effect on plant and animals (Smith, 1977). For the purpose of this
project however, the environmental problems to be discussed is
solid waste generated as a matter of course from human activities
aimed at satisfying various needs these waste need to be
disposed of hygienically so as to avoid environmental pollution
2.5.2 PROCESSES OF SOLID WASTE SCAVENGING
Waste scavenging involves the following activities:
i.
ii.

Picking or collection of the reusable solid waste of all kind from

the field.
sorting out reusable and recyclable materials in the waste container
or the dumpsite, and selling these to designated buyers employed by
junk shops.
12

iii.
iv.

transporting the materials to the junk shop.

consolidating and segregating the materials in different sections
within the junk shop.
v. cleaning of the materials if buyers require this
vi.
Storage of the materials until a specific volume and price are
reached.
vii. Delivery to or pick up by companies who recycle the materials.
In general, the opportunities for home, prompt, and commercial scrap recycling
flows are implemented more fully than opportunities for post-consumer and reused scrap recycling, for several reasons:
Quantity: the volume of recyclable materials;
Homogeneity: their quality and consistency;
Contamination: the degree to which different materials and substances are mixed
together; and
Location: the number of points at which the materials are first discarded as
waste. The home scrap recycling flow, for example, is characterized by high
volume, high homogeneity, low contamination, and a single source location. Postconsumer scrap, on the other hand, is characterized by low volume, low
homogeneity, high contamination, and multiple locations.
As Turner et al. (1993, 22) observe, four additional factors can also affect the
recycling effort:
The relative prices of secondary, or recycled, versus primary raw materials as
inputs into production processes;
The end-use structure (number of uses and grades of material required) for any
given recyclable material: for example, mixed waste papers and mixed color glass
typically have fewer uses than single-grade wastes;
Technological progress in the secondary and primary materials industries; and
Historical and cultural factors that condition the degree of environmental
awareness in society.
WASTE SCAVENGING FOR ENVIROMENTAL PROTECTION AND
POVERTY REDUCTION
The environmental benefits of waste recycling include reduction of the use of
virgin raw materials, soil quality improvement, reduced pressures on landfill space,
and reduced air and water pollution from landfills and trash strewn elsewhere.
13

Although all of these benefits may have motivated the NGOs who campaigned for
the passage of RA 9003, an activist deeply involved in the campaign believes that
the government passed the law primarily in response to the increasing difficulty of
finding new, socially acceptable landfill sites. The reduced use of virgin materials
also has major environmental impacts. For example, paper recycling conserves
forests, the sources of pulp for paper manufacturing. Composting the
reprocessing and recycling of organic wastes for agricultural use reduces the
demand for petrochemical-based fertilizers, as well as reducing pressures on
landfill space. By the year 2010, it is estimated that 42% of Metro Manilas trash
will consist of kitchen waste, most of which is compostable (JICA-MMDA 1998,
3-8). Composting also reduces air and water pollution attributable to organic
decomposition in landfill sites, public markets, and residential areas. Waste
recycling can contribute to poverty reduction too, as the Payatas case shows. A
1996 survey in Payatas found that families earned an average of PhP 4,550 (US$
175 at the prevailing 17 exchange rate) per month (Tuason 2002, 1), and income
about 20% higher than the legislated minimum wage. Because they live and work
in the same vicinity, waste-pickers do not have to pay for daily transportation. As a
part of the informal economy, their earnings are not subject to income and other
taxes. The dump also provides some household needs for free, including building
materials, furniture, clothes, and personal accessories.vi
These benefits are threatened, however, by the scavengers lack of job security;
that is, their lack of secure rights to access the waste stream. Instead, they can be
evicted from the dumpsite at any time (Abad 1991, cited by Rivera 1994, 11-12).
Health risks pose another continuing threat to the waste-pickers. The German
Doctors Health Care Development Center a NGO, operating a clinic inside the
Payatas dumpsite, reported that in August 2002 alone they had 339 cases of
tuberculosis. This implies a rate of morbidity more than eight times higher than the
national average. Toxic and hazardous wastes (THWs) are a particularly important
health issue for the waste-pickers.

14

CHAPTER THREE
STUDY AREA AND METHODOLOGY
3.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE CASE STUDY
Malumfashi town was created from the defunct Funtua Local Government Area of
old Kaduna State in 1976 during Murtala/Obasanjo administration. Later, after
creation of Katsina State, in 1987 Malumfashi town became a full pledged local
government area under Katsina State during General Ibrahim Babangida
administration, the local governments headquarter at the town of Malumfashi. Its
location falls within geographical coordinates; 11 north, 7 37East and
geographical area of about674km2 (26059mi) with the population of 182,920 at
the 2006 census. (Fig. 1.1)
Malumfashi town is situated at the far south of Katsina, and bounded with Kafur
Local Government in south, Bakori Local Government in west, Kankara Local
Government in north and Musawa Local Government in east respectively.
The climatic condition of Malumfashi town Area is varies according to the season
of the year, where the weather is semi-arid climate with mixture of rainy and dry
season. Rainfall starts from April-October and dry season from November-March
every year, a period of six months each one.
The inhabitants of Malumfashi town are mostly Hausa/Fulani consisting about
90% of the total population presently. The remaining 10% are Yoruba, Nupe, Igbo
and other minor tribes from southern Zaria who settled and work as civil servant,
missionaries, traders, mechanics, rewires etc.
The predominant religion of Malumfashi people are Islam with Christianity a
distant second religion, constitute not more than 15% followers. Since the creation
of Malumfashi town, it has considerable degree in transformation of agriculture,
health care delivery, and other factors of driven development.
3.1.1 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA
Malumfashi town Area is located towards the Southern tip of Katsina State about
150 Kilometers from Katsina city, Katsina is located in the Southern tip of Nigeria
towards Niger Republic.
It is occupies a total Land area of about 20,000 square kilometers, Malumfashi in
particular has its boundary with Kano state in the east and Bakori local government
of Katsina, Kankara and Musawa local Governments in the North-West and North
respectively. While in the South it is bounded by Kafur local government about 18
Kilometres away.
15

Malumfashi town Area is located between latitude 1145'N and 12 00N and
longitude 7 30'E and 745'E, it occupies a total land area of about 20,000 square
kilometers, it is bounded by Musawa Local Government Area in the north Kankara
Local Government Area by the west, Gwarzo Local Government Area in the east,
and Bakori Local Government Area by the
Malumfashi town Area is underlain by crystalline basemefitdonlex rock the overall
scenery of the relief in Malumfashi town is found around day and Tsaunin Kura
areas. Also Malumfashi lied in the upper reaches of river Turami, an important
tributary of River Gagara drainage basin. To the east and south-east, the ground
rises to Jaterate crapped hills which form a very important watershed between the
north-westwards flowing Gagare drainage system, and the east north-east wards,
following Chalawa drainage system.

3.1.2 HUMAN POPULATION AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

The people are engaged in a wide range of primary and secondary activities. Most
of those engaged in primary occupations are males women are only engaged in
secondary occupations, such as cooking food stuffs for sale. These types of
occupations can be carried out within the compound and products are usually sold
outside the compound by children. The largest occupation group is business.
Business here covers a whole range of petty trading activities. The second largest
group which include; Agricultural Farming, Fishing, Blacksmith, Rearing of
Animal. Other professional activities engaged by the people of the area include
administrators, transporters and contractors, among others.
Malumfashi town was lucky to benefit from the 1975 World Bank Loan of
16

agricultural development project and a lot hard been achieved agriculturally

because of the town is blessed with fertile land. Beside, majority of people who are
farmers live in rural areas and grow food and cash crops such as maize, guineacorn, ground-nut and cotton, the area has once begged first position in cotton
producer in former Kaduna State.
3.1.3 BLACKSMITHING
This is another economic activity taking place in the area due to the fact that the
rural dwellers of the area are mostly specialized in agriculture. The blacksmiths
produce agricultural equipment such as hoe, sickles, plough and sharpening items
for easy utilization. All these items produced by the blacksmiths are sold to the
farmers at home and sometimes extended to the market.
3.1.4 AGRICULTURE IN MALUMFASHI
Malumfashi is a town where people engage in farming and irrigation activities,
whereby the process of making production of crops and cultivation of both cash
and food crops and rearing of animals for the benefit of the farmers in order to
provide a livelihood on the bases of human needs.
Agriculture serves many factories in the area with productive inputs. The
remaining people depend on the agricultural products that are either raw of
processed by local companies.
Agriculture also employed more than half of the Malumfashi population thereby
boosting economic activities and its encroaches even in the GRA areas where
many of the residence engage in beans and ground nut cultivation and they gain a
lot on its proceeds, in the area.
The types of crops that are normally cultivated in the area during rainy and dry
season are: Maize, Millet, Guinea com, Ground nut, Cotton, Beans to mention but
a few.
3.1.5 FISHING
This also important in the area, and the fishing is taken place in the Malumfashi
old dam behind Dudi Primary School and Mashigi dam along Borindawa road The
fishermen used their primitive methods to catches the fish perhaps by the used of
hook and net etc. the fishing is being done during the both two season, Malumfashi
town is the second largest in population concentration in Katsina State, thus
attracted greater government attention for the development of the area by providing
the area with socio-economic activities include school, clinic etc.
3.1.6 2014 POPULATION PROJECTION FOR MALUMFASHI TOWN
17

Majority of the population live in the rural areas. Inhabitants of the town area are
predominantly Muslim, although and fewer numbers are Christians. The main
ethnic Hausa and Fulani are known for their peace, loving, hospitality and loyalty.
Based on the 2006 population figures for Malumfashi town, the projection for 2014
can be calculated as follows:
P1=P0 (1+r)n
Where, P1 = future population (population projection to 2014)
P0 = Starting population (population of 2006) which is 240,007
r = Growth rate (3.4%) = 3/100
n = Time (years between 2006 and 2014 which equals 8 years)
P1=2014
P0=240,007
r = (3.4%) = 3/100
n Time (years between 2006 and 2014 equal 8 years)
P1 = 240,007 (1 + 0.034)8
P1 = 240,007 (1.30665156)
P1 = 31360.784
P1 = 313609
(Source: National population commission Katsina state 2006)
3.1.7 CLIMATE
The climate is the wet and dry types of climate coded AW, according to Koppen's
classification. Tropical continental climate having two distinct season's namely wet
and dry seasons. The wet season is experienced during the months of April or May
to September or October, with a peak in August. It is the period during which the
two air masses circulating in the west Africa atmosphere are in contact with the
ground, they meet along a zone called inter topical convergence zone (ITCZ)
which moves between the north and south, the position of what determines the
seasons. Tropical maritime blows from south-west to north-east direction, this air
masses carry moisture due to its long journey on the Atlantic ocean, it has a
constant relative humidity of 2000mm and decrease in temperature with height in
his air mass is small.
The mean annual rainfall is estimated as 8515.5mm, which is caused by south-west
trade winds. which is distributed over a period of 5 - 6 months. The area also
experience about 6 months of dry season. This period start from October and
extended to March with the total absence of precipitation. The maximum
18

temperature is estimated as 32.5 Celsius and minimum temperature is estimated as

23.4 Celsius. This give rise to range of temperature 9.1 Celsius, ( Maxlock
group 1978)
3.1.8 TOPOGRAPHY
Malumfashi lies in the upper reaches of river Turami, an important tributaries of
river Gagare drainage basin to the east and south-east, the ground rises to tolerate
crapped hills which form a very important watershed between the north-west ward
flowing Gagare drainage system, and the east-north eastward flowing Chalawa
drainage system the later into lake chard. Its a plain area which lies between 510m
to 630m above sea level. The composed gneisses and granites appear to have
potential quantities of groundwater. Also gneisses and granites are potential
quantities of ground water other potential sources of ground water are metasedimentary rocks to the east of Malumfashi
3.1.9 VEGETATION
Vegetation of Malumfashi fails within the Sudan variety. The vegetation composed
of shrubs and tree savannah. The trees are scattered and do not form a closed
canopy. Trees and plants have adapted themselves to savannah climatic rhythm of
long winter draught and dry season and short summer rain during the rainy season.
Both trees and plants are therefore, deciduous in nature, shedding their leaves in
the dry season prevent excessive loss of water through transportation and lying
dormant during the long draught. Grass is tall and coarse, growing to 2 - 4 high.
3.1.10 GEOLOGY AND SOIL
The geology of the area consisting of Basement Complex rocks which occur
between Funtua and Malumfashi. They consist mainly of course granite, gneissose
granite and biotic gneisses with a similar physical characteristic.
A soil type of Maiumfashi town is normally loamy and clay, which supports the
plant growth, such types that are available in the area are very reached in organic
matter (humus). Also the soil grains in Malumfashi vary in size. Those of clay soils
are less then 0.002mm in diameter while those of gravel are more than 2mm in
diameter. The four soil basic types are identified in the area. They are clay soil and
gravel, but most of the soil in Malumfashi is mixture of these two. The loam soil
consists of sand and clay dominates. The area loam soil which contains humus is
often very fertile. This type of soil has a high porosity because the angular grains
are loosely packed.
19

3.1.11 LAND USE

Malumfashi is characterized by various land uses, such as Agricultural residential,
educational, commercial, industrial, recreational, public and semi-public land uses.
But the most predominant land use which carried almost half of the total land mass
of the area is the agricultural land use. And this so because, Malumfashi town has a
fertile land that is good for agricultural activities. Most of the people living in the
area are Farmers, Fishermen, and business men. Therefore, agriculture has the
highest percentage in terms of land mass within the area, then followed by
residential which is the second and then educational, commercial, public and
semipublic industrial and then finally recreational (Haruna, 2004).
The present of the rivers in the town led to the predominant of agricultural
activities even during the dry season when there is no rainfall most of the Farmers
engages in Irrigation Farming where the rivers and dams serves as their source of
water supply (planning unit, Katsina State Ministry of Lands, Surveys and
Environment, 2003).
3.2 Methodology
The data of this study will be collected from two sources which are primary and
secondary data sources.
3.2.1 Primary Source
The primary data will be acquired through self-administered questionnaires.
The questionnaires consist of two sections; the democratic data of study area and
data on solid waste scavenging as the second section. 50 copies of questionnaires
will be distributed to extract information from the people of Malumfashi town
based on the objectives of the study. This method will be used because it is more
reliable and allows for good monitoring of the questionnaires so as to eliminate
sampling errors.
3.2.2 Secondary Sources
Secondary data will be obtained from text books, magazines, journals,
newspapers and past research works for the purpose of this work.

3.3 Population of the Study

According to 2006 population census Malumfashi town has a total of 313609
numbers of people. It is difficult to study the whole population of Malumfashi,
20

Thus a sampling technique will be used in conducting the research.

3.4 Sampling Technique
Stratified sampling will be used in conducting this research where the study area
will be divided into two wards (A and B).
The sample size will be limited to certain number of respondent this is to enhance
easy collection, analysis and interpretation of data. A total of 50 questionnaires will
be generated where a 25 house-hold from each ward will be selected to fill the
questionnaire
3.5 Method of Data Analysis
The method of data analysis that will be employed in this research is simple
percentage (% ). To calculate percentages, frequencies, and tables. And the data
will be presented in the form of
I. Bar chat
II.

Histogram

III.

Line graph

IV.

Tables

21

TOPIC:

QUESTIONNAIRE
AN ASESSMENT SOLID WASTE SCAVENGING
A CASE STUDY OF MALUMFASHI TOWN.

Dear Respondent,
The researcher is a student of the Department of Geography, Umaru Musa Yaradua
University Katsina. Carrying out a research on the above mentioned topic as part of the
requirement for the award of B.Sc. Degree in Geography.
The researcher would be grateful if you respond to the questions below to the best of
your knowledge. All information would be purely used for academic purpose and treated
with privacy.
Please tick [
] your choice of answer and fill the appropriate information on the
required space.
SECTION A: SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DATA
Age: 15-24 [ ] 25-34 [ ] 35-44 [ ]
45-54 [ ] 55-64 [ ]
65
and above [ ]
Gender: Male [ ]

Female [ ]

Occupation: Student [ ] Trader [ ] Farmer [ ] Civil servant [

Specify
Marital Status: Married [
Widowed [ ]

] Never Married [ ] Divorced [

Place of residence: .
What is the number of persons in your household?
1-2 [ ] 3-4 [ ] 5-6 [ ] 9-10 [ ] 10 to above [

SECTION B
1. Did you know about solid waste scavenging?
a. Yes [ ]

22

] others

b. No [ ]
2. Where did you dispose off your solid waste?
a) Garbage dump [ ]
b) By the gutter [ ]
c) Solid waste junk shop [

d) Other, specify_____________________
3. What are the types of solid waste generated in your area?
a) Scrap metal [ ]
b) Bottle / Glass [ ]
c) Plastics [

d) Other specify_____________________
4. Where did scavengers obtain their items?
a) Mechanic workshop [

b) Garbage dump [ ]
c) Household waste [ ]
d) Others specify____________________
5. Which class of people are involved in solid waste scavenging?
a) Higher class people [ ]
b) Middle class peope [ ]
c) Lower class people [ ]
d) Other specify____________________
6. What are the ages of people involved in the scavenging of solid waste?
a. 15-24
b. 25-34
23

c. 35-44
d. 45-54

7. What are the challenges faced by solid waste scavengers in your area?
a. Infectious diseases

[ ]

b. Lack of job security

[ ]

c. Shortage of solid waste [ ]

d. Others specify________________________
8. Do you support government intervention in solid waste scavenging
management?
a. Yes [ ]
b. No [ ]

24