Social
Studies Students’ Awareness of the Consequences of Indiscriminate Solid Waste
Disposal on the Environment, in Tertiary Institutions in Delta State
DAFE, Eseoghene
dafeeseoghene0@gmail.com
Department of Social Science
Education, Delta State University, Abraka.
DANIA, Peter Ogbianigene
daniapo@delsu.edu.ng
Department of Social Science Education, Delta State University, Abraka.
ABSTRACT: The study examined the
relationship between Social Studies students’ awareness of the consequences of
indiscriminate solid waste disposal and environmental consequences in tertiary
institutions in Delta State. The study formulated and tested two research
questions and two hypotheses. The study adopted a correlational ex-post facto
research design. The study sample comprised 283 undergraduate Social Studies
students in four government-owned tertiary institutions in Delta State, using a
census sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was a
structured questionnaire titled Students’
Awareness of Indiscriminate Solid Waste Disposal and its Consequences
Questionnaire (SAISWDCQ). Experts in Measurement and
Evaluation at Delta State University, Abraka, validated the instrument.
Reliability was established using the test-retest method and Pearson Product
Moment Correlation, yielding reliability coefficients ranging from 0.82 to 0.86
across sections. Data were analysed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation to
answer research questions, while linear and multiple regression analyses were
used to test hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings
revealed a significant relationship between students’ awareness and breeding grounds
for disease-causing organisms, and land pollution significantly influenced
students’ awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate solid waste disposal.
The study concluded that awareness of indiscriminate solid waste disposal is
significantly related to environmental consequences among Social Studies
students in Delta State. It was recommended that Social Studies teachers should
intensify environmental education, while government and schools should
strengthen environmental awareness programmes and sanitation campaigns to
improve students’ environmental responsibility.
Keywords: Social Studies Students, Social Studies Students Awareness, Consequences
of Indiscriminate Solid Waste Disposal, Solid Waste Disposal, Environment,
Tertiary Institutions in Delta State
INTRODUCTION
Indiscriminate solid waste
disposal in Nigeria has become a common and serious problem, affecting both
young and old people. As you travel across the country, especially in cities
and towns, you often see open lands and open dump sites filled with solid
waste. It is hard to understand how people can live with such a large amount of
waste around them, and it seems like the government is not taking any
corresponding action to stem the trend. More alarmingly, awareness of the
environmental consequences of this pattern of solid waste disposal is low or
almost non-existent across all sections of society. Similarly, Social Studies
students’ awareness of the consequences for public health, land, water, air,
and socio-economic environments is particularly poor (Opaleye, 2021).
In Nigeria, it is common to
encounter lands filled with solid waste and open dump sites containing large
volumes of solid waste, especially in the land and water environments (Wajim,
2020). Abdu Abul (2010) also confirmed that open dumpsites filled with solid
waste are more prevalent in Nigeria than well-organised waste management sites.
Therefore, this has encouraged indiscriminate waste disposal, to the point that
it has become a widespread practice among Nigerians. Meanwhile, awareness of
its environmental consequences is not receiving the attention it deserves
(Obioma, 2018; Dania & Obro,
2017).
This lack of awareness about
the environmental consequences of solid waste disposal deserves attention and
should be thoroughly examined to raise awareness among the general public, the
government, private and public institutions, and higher institutions of
learning in Nigeria. However, this seems not to be the case, as negative
consequences linked to the practice of illegal dumping of solid waste, such as
threats to public health, land degradation, water contamination and air
pollution, are being overlooked.
Every human activity, whether
in the physical, social, political, economic, technological, or any other
environment, generates solid waste. Since it would not be possible to stop
people from engaging in activities that generate waste, it is crucial for both
the government and Nigerians to prioritise effective waste disposal practices
to reduce the harm caused by improper waste dumping. This can be achieved by
educating people on the consequences of such practices, particularly the
younger generation, through subjects like Social Studies (Obiajulu-Anyia,
2024).
Solid waste refers to items,
objects, and materials in solid form that people dispose of because they are no
longer useful to them. These materials typically have no market or economic
value to the individual who is getting rid of them. Solid waste can come from
homes, industries, or business places. Solid waste is
unwanted, unusable material that has become useless to those who generated it (Byjus, 2022). It is considered unwanted because it has completed its
original purpose and is meant to be thrown away.
Achi et al. (2012) described indiscriminate
dumping of solid waste as the illegal dumping of solid waste in places not
designated for it, such as empty land, water bodies, drainage channels,
streets, and roadsides. Wuyep et al. (2024) also defined indiscriminate dumping
of solid waste as the improper disposal of solid waste in its various forms,
including solid, liquid, and gaseous, in the environment. This practice may
have become a major environmental threat, leading to a growing problem that
could soon reach critical levels (Pande & Makonye, 2023). Furthermore,
Wuyep et al. (2024) noted that managing indiscriminate solid waste dumping is
also very costly, with annual management costs estimated at about US$2054
billion.
A major consequence of
indiscriminate solid waste disposal is its impact on individual and public
health. Rapid population growth and industrial development in urban and
semi-urban areas expose most Nigerians to the dangers solid and industrial
waste pose to public health (Bharti, 2024). Fadhullah et al. (2022) stated that
when solid waste is left unattended without proper management, it can serve as
a breeding ground for disease-causing organisms and parasites, which can
predispose people to illnesses such as malaria, tetanus, cholera, diarrhoea,
hookworm infestation, and others. Unsanitary conditions from indiscriminate
waste dumping can increase disease spread in the immediate and surrounding
areas (Obro, 2020); improper solid waste disposal can also contaminate
the human body, food, and water. Studies by Muhammad (2018) and Niazi (2016)
have linked indiscriminate solid waste dumping to severe environmental
degradation, including floods, soil erosion, and land pollution.
Ali (2022) also noted that knowledge
about the consequences of Indiscriminate Solid Waste Disposal (ISWD) on the
environment can improve real-life waste management practices among Social
Studies students. The implementation of the Social Studies curriculum, along
with policy and educational interventions, is connected to awareness of solid
waste issues and their environmental status. However, Opaleye (2021) discovered
that Social Studies students had limited awareness, as many do not practice
proper waste disposal habits.
Given the varied status of
poor waste disposal practices, the researcher felt it was important to explore
Social Studies students' awareness of this issue. The main goal of this study
is to assess these students' awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate
solid waste disposal on the environment.
Research Questions
1.
What is the relationship between Social
Studies students’ awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate solid waste
disposal and the state of the public health environment in tertiary
institutions in Delta State?
2.
What is the relationship between Social
Studies students’ awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate solid waste
disposal and land pollution in tertiary institutions in Delta State?
Hypotheses
1.
There is no significant relationship between social studies students’
awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate solid waste disposal and the
state of the public health environment in tertiary institutions in Delta State.
2.
There is no significant relationship between social studies students’
awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate solid waste disposal and land
pollution in tertiary institutions in Delta State.
Methods
This study is an ex post facto study adopting
the correlational research design. The researcher adopted a correlational
survey design because the study examined the relationship between Social
Studies students’ awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate solid waste
disposal on the environment in tertiary institutions in Delta State. The study
population comprised 283 undergraduate Social Studies students in
government-owned tertiary institutions in Delta State. The sample comprised 283
students, selected using a purposive approach that included the entire
population of undergraduate Social Studies students. This decision was informed
by the relatively small population size, which made it feasible and appropriate
to involve all participants in the study.
The study used a self-structured research
questionnaire as the instrument. The instrument for data collection consisted
of a 30-item questionnaire titled “Students’ Awareness of Indiscriminate Solid Waste
Disposal and its Consequences on Public Health Questionnaire (SAISWDCPHQ)”. The questionnaire contains 2
sections: Section
A: Demographic data of respondents (school location and
gender), while Section B: three clusters, which include: Awareness of
Indiscriminate Solid Waste Disposal Scale (AISWDS), Land Pollution Awareness
Scale (LPAS) – 10 items, and Water Pollution Awareness Scale (WPAS). The items
were structured on a 4-point scale of Strongly Agree (4), Agree (3), Disagree
(2), and Strongly Disagree (1).
To determine face and content validity, the
researcher gave a copy of the questionnaire to the researcher’s supervisor and
two other experts in Measurement and Evaluation in the Faculty of Education,
Delta State University, Abraka, for review and correction. The researcher
modified some items to suit the respondents’ understanding. The researcher determined the instruments' reliability using the test-retest
method. Using this method, the researcher administered the instruments twice to
50 Social Studies students from the University of Benin, selected from schools
outside the main schools used for the study. The data obtained from the two
different administrations of the instruments were collated and correlated using
Pearson product-moment correlation statistics, and it yielded a reliability
index for the following: “Awareness of
Indiscriminate Solid Waste Disposal Scale (AISWDS) recorded a
reliability coefficient of 0.83. and Land
Pollution Awareness Scale (LPAS) recorded a reliability coefficient of 0.84.
The overall reliability index
value is 0.84. The data
obtained were collated, scored, coded, and entered into SPSS version 26. The
study answered the research questions using the Pearson Product Moment
Correlation Coefficient (PPMC), while hypotheses were tested using linear and multiple
regression analysis at 0.50 level of significance.
Results
Research Question 1
What
is the relationship between Social Studies students’
awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate solid waste disposal and the
state of the public health environment in tertiary institutions in Delta State?
Table 1: Pearson Product Moment Correlation
(r) Analysis of Awareness and Indiscriminate Solid Waste Disposal on Public
Health Environment
|
Variables
|
N
|
Mean
|
SD
|
r
|
r²
|
r² %
|
Remark
|
|
Awareness
of the consequences of Indiscriminate Solid Waste Disposal
|
275
|
32.48
|
6.21
|
0.652
|
0.425
|
42
|
Positive
relationship
|
|
Public
Health Environment
|
275
|
28.75
|
5.94
|
|
|
|
|
Table 1 shows the Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r) value of 0.652
for the relationship between Social Studies students’ awareness of the
consequences of indiscriminate solid waste disposal on the public environment
in tertiary institutions in Delta State. The positive relationship indicates
that as students’ awareness increases, so does their understanding of how
indiscriminate solid waste disposal creates breeding grounds for indiscriminate
solid waste in the environment. The coefficient of determination (r²) of 0.425
indicates that awareness explains 42.5% of the variation in breeding grounds
for indiscriminate solid waste in the environment. Therefore, awareness is
positively related to indiscriminate solid waste in the environment among
Social Studies students in tertiary institutions in Delta State.
Research Question 2
What is the
relationship between Social Studies students’
awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate solid waste disposal and land
pollution in tertiary institutions in Delta State?
Table 2: Pearson Product Moment Correlation (R) Analysis of the Consequences of Indiscriminate Solid Waste Disposal and
Land Pollution
|
Variables
|
N
|
Mean
|
|
SD
|
r
|
r²
|
r² %
|
Remark
|
|
Awareness
|
275
|
33.10
|
|
6.05
|
0.701
|
0.491
|
49.1
|
Positive
relationship
|
|
Land
pollution
|
275
|
29.40
|
|
5.88
|
|
|
|
|
Table 2 shows the Pearson Product Moment Correlation (r) value of 0.701
for the relationship between awareness and land pollution. The positive
relationship indicates that as students’ awareness increases, their
understanding of land pollution resulting from indiscriminate waste disposal
also increases. The coefficient of determination (r²) of 0.491 shows that
awareness explains 49.1% of the variation in land pollution. Therefore, awareness
and land pollution are positively related.
Testing of Hypotheses
Hypothesis 1
There is no
significant relationship between social studies students’ awareness of the
consequences of indiscriminate solid waste disposal and the state of the public
health environment in tertiary institutions in Delta State.
Table 3: Linear Regression Analysis of the Relationship Between Awareness of The
Consequences of Indiscriminate Solid Waste Disposal and the State of Public
Health Environment
|
Model
|
Sum of
Squares
|
df
|
Mean
Square
|
F
|
Sig.
|
|
Regression
|
2145.782
|
1
|
2145.782
|
39.214
|
.000
|
|
Residual
|
15420.118
|
273
|
54.887
|
|
|
|
Total
|
17565.900
|
274
|
|
|
|
Table 3 shows a linear regression analysis of the
relationship between awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate solid
waste disposal and the state of the public health environment in tertiary
institutions in Delta State. The computed F-value of 39.214 has a p-value of
0.000. At an alpha level of 0.05, the p-value of 0.000 was less than 0.05.
Therefore, we rejected the null hypothesis. This indicated a significant
relationship between awareness of the consequences of indiscriminate solid waste disposal and
the state of the public health environment in tertiary institutions in Delta
State.
Hypothesis 2
There
is no significant relationship between social studies students’ awareness of
the consequences of indiscriminate solid waste disposal and land pollution in
tertiary institutions in Delta State
Table 4: Linear Regression Analysis of the Relationship Between Awareness and Land
Pollution Among Social Studies Students in tertiary institutions in Delta State
|
Model
|
Sum of
Squares
|
df
|
Mean
Square
|
F
|
Sig.
|
|
Regression
|
2680.551
|
1
|
2680.551
|
51.803
|
.000
|
|
Residual
|
14585.349
|
273
|
51.925
|
|
|
|
Total
|
17265.900
|
274
|
|
|
|
Table 4 shows a linear regression analysis of the
relationship between awareness and land pollution among Social Studies students
in a tertiary institution in Delta State. The computed F-value of 51.803 has a
p-value of 0.000. At an alpha level of 0.05, the p-value of 0.000 was less than
0.05. Therefore, the study rejected the null hypothesis. This indicated a
significant relationship between awareness and land pollution among Social
Studies students in tertiary institutions in Delta State.
Discussion of Findings
The result of hypothesis one shows a significant
relationship between Social Studies students’ awareness of the consequences of
indiscriminate solid waste disposal on the environment in tertiary institutions
in Delta State. One possible explanation is that students more exposed to
environmental education tend to better understand how improper waste disposal
creates favourable conditions for indiscriminate solid waste in the
environment, such as mosquitoes, flies, and rodents. This awareness enables
them to clearly link poor sanitation practices to increased health risks.
Another reason for this finding could be that classroom instruction, community sensitisation
programmes, and media campaigns on environmental sanitation have strengthened
students’ awareness of the relationship between waste accumulation and disease transmission.
When students are repeatedly exposed to such information, they are more likely
to develop stronger understanding of environmental-health relationships. This
finding is in line with World Health Organization (WHO, 2021), which reported
that indiscriminate waste disposal significantly contributes to the spread of
communicable diseases in developing nations. It also agrees with United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP, 2022), which emphasized that poor waste management
increases the breeding of disease vectors. However, the finding disagrees with
Adekunle and Oladipo (2019), who found a weak relationship between
environmental awareness and health-related environmental outcomes among
students, suggesting that awareness alone may not always translate to strong
environmental understanding.
The result of hypothesis two indicated a significant relationship
between Social Studies students’ awareness of the consequences of land
pollution and the environment in tertiary institutions in Delta State. This
implies that students who are more aware of improper waste disposal practices
tend to better understand how these practices contribute to land degradation
and environmental deterioration. One possible explanation for this finding is
that land pollution is highly visible in many communities, especially through
indiscriminate dumping of refuse on roadsides, open spaces, and drains (Sharma
et al., 2024). This visibility makes it easier for students to relate
theoretical knowledge to real-life environmental conditions. Another reason
could be that Social Studies curriculum content emphasizes environmental
sanitation, thereby strengthening students’ understanding of land pollution.
This finding aligns with Adebayo (2020), who found that environmental awareness
significantly improves students’ understanding of land pollution. It also
agrees with Okonkwo and Eze (2021), who reported a significant relationship
between environmental awareness and land degradation among secondary school
students. However, it contradicts Mohammed and Yusuf (2018), who reported that
awareness had little or no significant effect on students’ understanding of
land pollution due to ineffective instructional delivery methods.
Conclusion
Based on the findings of the study, it was
concluded that Social Studies students’ awareness of the consequences of
indiscriminate solid waste disposal has a significant relationship with
environmental consequences such as indiscriminate solid waste on the
environment, land pollution, water pollution, air pollution, and socio-economic
status in tertiary institutions in Delta State. It was also concluded that both
gender and socio-economic status significantly influence students’ awareness of
environmental consequences of indiscriminate solid waste disposal.
This implies that awareness of environmental
sanitation issues among students is not only dependent on instruction but also
influenced by personal and socio-demographic factors. Therefore, improving
students’ awareness of environmental consequences is essential to promoting
environmental sustainability and reducing the negative effects of
indiscriminate solid waste disposal in tertiary institutions in Delta State.
Recommendations
1.
Social
Studies teachers should intensify efforts in teaching environmental education
topics, especially those related to waste disposal and its consequences, to
enhance students’ awareness and environmental responsibility.
2.
Government
and school authorities should organise regular environmental awareness
campaigns and sanitation programmes to reinforce students’ understanding of
proper waste management practices.
3.
Curriculum
planners should strengthen environmental education content in Social Studies to
ensure students gain deeper knowledge of the consequences of indiscriminate
solid waste disposal.
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