PHYSICAL PLANNING INDICES AND MEDIA AS PREDICTORS OF COMPLIANCE WITH SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT POLICY AMONG REGISTERED AUTOMOBILE TECHNICIANS IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Solid waste management policy is formulated to ensure that citizens adopt friendly environmental habits and practices. Despite the enactment of legislations on solid waste disposal and management, many automobile technicians in Oyo State were not complying with the State regulations. Past studies focused on knowledge and attitude towards solid waste management practices, with little emphasis on compliance with the regulatory laws. This study was therefore carried out to examine physical planning indices (road accessibility, town planning regulations and location of solid waste management facilities) and media (electronic and print) as predictors of compliance with solid waste management policy among the registered automobile technicians(auto mechanic, auto panel, auto electrician and auto painter) in Oyo State, Nigeria. Theory of Planned Behaviour provided the framework, while the descriptive survey design was adopted. The seven waste management zones in the State were enumerated, while proportionate to sample size technique was used to select 50% of Local Government Areas (LGAs) in each zone: Oyo (2), Ogbomoso (3), Oke-Ogun I (2), Oke-Ogun II (3), Ibarapa (2), Ibadan I (3) and Ibadan II (3). The total number of registered automobile technicians in each zones are: Oyo (97), Ogbomoso (443), Oke-Ogun I (236), Oke-Ogun II (336), Ibarapa (297), Ibadan I (789), Ibadan II (867); 60.0% of registered automobile technicians in the same workshop in each of the zones were randomly selected, making a total of 1 843. Solid Waste Management Practice (r=0.93), Awareness of Solid Waste Management Policy (r=0.90), Physical Planning Indices (r=0.83), Media (r=0.76) and Compliance with Solid Waste Management Policy (r=0.76) scales were used for data collection. These were complemented with six sessions of in-depth interviews with environmental health officers. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product moment correlation and Multiple regression at 0.05 alpha level, while qualitative data were content analysed. Participants’ age was 41.6 ± 6.9years and majority (67.7%) had Primary School Leaving Certificate. Most automobile technicians (78.4%) disposed solid waste indiscriminately. Road accessibility (r=0.64), town planning regulations (r=0.61), location of solid waste management facilities (r=0.58), electronic media (r=0.57) and print media (r=0.55) had positive significant correlations with compliance with solid waste management policy. There was a significant joint prediction of physical planning indices and media on compliance with solid waste management policy (F(5,1816)=293.27, adj.R2=0.45); accounting for 66.8% of its variation. Road accessibility (β=0.34), location of solid waste management facilities (β=0.30), electronic media (β=0.14), town planning regulations (β=0.09) and print media (β=0.09) contributed to compliance with solid waste management policy. Lack of road accessibility, improper location of solid waste management facilities and violation of town planning regulations hindered collection and transportation of solid waste, while low level of awareness accounted for non-compliance with solid waste management policy. Poor road accessibility, strict town planning regulations, inadequate location of solid waste management facilities influenced compliance with solid waste management policy among automobile technicians in Oyo State. Stringent enforcement of waste disposal regulations, easy road accessibility and constant sensitization through the media will enhance compliance with solid waste management policy.