Solid Waste Management Practices and Community Health Outcomes in Owerri, Imo State, South East Nigeria

Improper solid waste management in urban Nigeria creates significant environmental health hazards including disease vector proliferation, groundwater contamination, and air pollution from indiscriminate burning. This study examines solid waste management practices and their association with community health outcomes in Owerri, Imo State. A cross-sectional descriptive design is applied to 325 household heads selected through multistage sampling from five residential zones of Owerri Municipal Council. Questionnaires assess waste segregation habits, frequency of waste collection, open dumping practices, proximity to designated dump sites, and self-reported respiratory and gastrointestinal illness in the past three months. Direct community observations document disposal site conditions and waste collection infrastructure. SPSS is used for analysis, with chi-square tests examining associations between waste practices and reported illness prevalence. Studies from South East Nigerian urban centres indicate that less than 40 percent of households in Owerri have access to regular organised waste collection services, with open dumping adjacent to residential areas prevalent. The Environmental Justice framework guides the study's analytical approach. Findings will support Imo State's Waste Management Authority in prioritising waste collection infrastructure expansion and community sensitisation. Keywords: solid waste management, community health, environmental health, Owerri, Imo State.