Environmental Justice and Inequality in Municipal Solid Waste Service Delivery in Owerri Municipality, Nigeria

This study examined environmental justice and inequality in municipal solid waste service delivery across different housing typologies in Owerri Municipality, Nigeria. Using a mixed-methods cross-sectional design, primary data were collected from 300 households across formal, mixed, and slum settlements through structured questionnaires, field observations, and Key Informant Interviews with municipal waste officials. The findings revealed significant disparities in waste management services across residential categories, as 100% of residents in formal settlements reported access to municipal waste collection services compared to 0% in slum settlements, while 88% of formal residents received daily waste collection services. Similarly, 94.6% of households in formal areas used covered plastic waste bins, whereas 74% of slum residents relied on sack or nylon bags for waste storage and 20% had no storage facilities at all. Due to the absence of formal waste collection services, 65% of slum residents practiced open dumping while 35% depended on open burning as their primary waste disposal method. Despite these conditions, respondents across all housing typologies demonstrated high environmental awareness, indicating that poor waste disposal practices are primarily driven by structural exclusion rather than ignorance. The study therefore concludes that municipal solid waste management challenges in Owerri Municipality are deeply rooted in socio-economic inequality, infrastructural neglect, and environmental injustice, thereby requiring inclusive, decentralized, and pro-poor waste management strategies capable of ensuring equitable environmental service delivery across all urban communities.