Journal of Applied Sciences Research 1(3): 285-291, 2005 © 2005, INSInet Publication Corresponding Author: Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Obafemi Awolowo, University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. E-mail: kenadewumi@yahoo.co.uk 285 Planning Organic Fertilizer Industries for Municipal Solid Wastes Management I.K. Adewumi, M.O. Ogedengbe, J.A. Adepetu and Y.L. Fabiyi 1 2 Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, 1 Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Department of Agriculture Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, 2 Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Abstract: Field surveys using questionnaires and interviews on the magnitude of pollution from municipal solid wastes (MSW) and farmyard manure (FYM) were carried out in eleven major cities of Southwestern Nigeria. Samples of substrates were collected for physical analyses. An average of 0.58 kg per person-day of wastes was generated 80 % of which was biodegradable in the study area and 74 % of the MSW reach public dumps. Majority (78 %) of users were willing to separate biodegradable fraction of MSW at source. There were enough MSW and FYM to support an organic fertilizer industry in the study area. Key words: Aerobic composting, farmyard manure (FYM), municipal solid wastes (MSW), organic fertilizer, solid wastes management (SWM) INTRODUCTION poultry farmers in urban centres due to air pollution from Long-term soil management studies in Nigeria Even though such practice contravenes public health have demonstrated that intensive cultivation often regulations, poverty [of the populace] and corruption lead to rapid soil physical degradation and drastic and/or lack of political will [by regulating officials] have decline in soil productivity, even with fertilizer gradually ‘allowed’ such illegal practice to thrive in application . The factor most implicated in this is proximity to residential premises with the possible high [1-4] soil organic matter content, which has been shown to risk of zoonotic and gastrointestinal tract infections to decline very rapidly in Nigeria soils under intensive both farmers and neighbours. Lack of statistical data of cultivation . The characteristic low organic matter both the actual population served and quantity and [5, 6] content of Nigerian soils, coupled with its rapid rate of quality of wastes produced and removed that are essential dissipation under cultivation suggests that Nigerian soils for policy formulation and engineering design has been may be poorly adapted to continuous cultivation; unless identified as a major problem accounting for failure of a reasonable amount of organic matter can be maintained management programmes from independence to the in the soil. Adepetu opined this was especially so present in Nigeria. [2,3] because the clay content of Nigerian soils is dominated This study is part of a commissioned project in 1997 by low activity clays (LAC). with the following objectives: The inability of succeeding Federal, State, or Local/Municipal governments in Nigeria to prevent (I) to determine the types, quantities, quality and environmental pollution resulting from municipal solid availability of organic wastes in MSW and FYM in wastes (MSW) has proved to be a major national cities across Southwestern Nigeria; embarrassment with heavy toll on the nation’s health and (ii) to develop an effective means of converting these resources . Another source of environmental pollution is wastes into organic fertilizer as an integrated method [7] farmyard manure (FYM) from both livestock and poultry of pollution control; resulting from urban agriculture. Poultry manure (PM) in (iii) to determine the effectiveness of the compost alone particular had resulted in litigation from neighbours of or its beneficiated form as organic fertilizer on such ventures.