This paper reports on patterns of household solid waste generation
in the three distinct ecological zones that make up the city of Ogbomoso: the
traditional core zone, the transitional zone developed under colonial rule and the
suburban zone. It gives details of how total waste volumes and the components
of waste varied over time in each of these zones – and there was considerable
variation in these by day of the week and by month. For example, in the suburban
zone, total waste generation for January was around half that for December;
and although average incomes are higher in that zone, the per capita quantity
of household waste (measured by weight) was not higher. Comparing household
waste generation across the three zones showed that as education, income and
social status increase, per capita waste generation declines, especially with regard to
heavier organic waste products which account for more than three-quarters of the
total waste generated in the study area. This is in part infl uenced by the differences
in employment/livelihood patterns between the zones, and the study highlights
how livelihood patterns and residents’ possibilities for livestock raising infl uence
the scale and composition of household waste. Finally, the paper highlights
the importance for waste management of considering solid waste generated by
enterprises in residential areas, including those run from home.