CAN COLOUR-CODED WASTE BINS HELP IMPROVE WASTE MANAGEMENT IN LOKOJA, KOGI STATE, NIGERIA?
Downloads
Objective: This study attempts to narrow the gap in the implementation of how people perceive, accept, and interpret challenges of color-coded waste bin systems in Nigerian cities, particularly in Lokoja, Kogi State, as a response to the challenges of municipal solid waste management. Method: This study employed a qualitative research design to investigate in-depth viewpoints, experiences, and recommendations regarding current waste management procedures and solutions. A total of twenty purposefully chosen participants were involved: ten residents (R1–R10), five local government representatives (LG1–LG5), three waste collectors (WC1–WC3), and two community leaders (CL1–CL2). Phenomenology was used to understand how different stakeholders perceive and experience issues related to waste segregation, focusing on the possibility of color-coded bins. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and focus groups, then transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using NVivo 12. Results: The results indicated that the adoption of color-coded bins based on traffic signal colors that are already culturally familiar was viewed favorably, despite potential obstacles such as cost, low education levels, and enforcement challenges. Participants also highlighted the financial and environmental benefits, including increased recycling rates, reduced landfill reliance, and income streams. Overall, there was moderate awareness of waste management challenges, and the color-coded bins were seen as a culturally relevant and pragmatic solution to waste disposal issues in Lokoja. Novelty: This study presents a novel approach to addressing municipal waste management issues in Nigerian cities by introducing a color-coded bin system that is culturally familiar and practically applicable, aiming to improve waste segregation. The study also emphasizes the need for collaboration among government agencies, community stakeholders, academic institutions, and international partners to ensure the successful implementation of such interventions.
I. A. Ojelade, T. G. Aiyedun, and B. G. Aregebesola, “Environmental education as an instrument for awareness creation on the health effects of water contamination in Saburi Community of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria,” The Researcher: A Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 1–16, 2019. [Online]. Available: http://www.researchersjournal.org/j2/papers/v2n1a.pdf
C. G. Ekpo and T. G. Aiyedun, “Environmental education: A tool for creation of awareness on adaptation to climate change in Nigeria,” IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education, vol. 9, no. 6, pp. 12–21, 2019. [Online]. Available: http://iosrjournals.org/iosr-jrme/papers/Vol-9%20Issue-6/Series-5/C0906051221.pdf
N. Leeabai et al., “The effects of colour preference and noticeability of trash bins on waste collection performance and waste-sorting behaviours,” Waste Management, vol. 121, pp. 153–163, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2020.12.010.
S. Kaza, L. Yao, P. Bhada-Tata, and F. Van Woerden, What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050. Washington, DC, USA: World Bank Publications, 2018.
A. J. Ariza and T. G. Olatunde-Aiyedun, “Bringing project-based learning into renewable and sustainable energy education: A case study on the development of the Electric Vehicle EOLO,” Sustainability, vol. 15, no. 13, pp. 1–32, 2023, doi: 10.3390/su151310275.
J. O. Adegoke, A. Akinyemi, and R. T. Ojo, “Urban waste management in Nigeria: Challenges and prospects,” Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 489–505, 2020.
T. C. Nzeadibe and C. K. Ajaero, “Informal waste recycling and livelihood outcomes in Nigeria,” Habitat International, vol. 89, pp. 102–110, 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.habitatint.2019.102005.
T. C. Ogwueleka and O. A. Oyewole, “Solid waste management in Nigeria: Past, present, and future,” International Journal of Waste Resources, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 1–8, 2021.
M. O. Olumide, A. R. Adebayo, and B. J. Alabi, “Community participation and innovations in urban waste sorting: Lagos as a case study,” Journal of Environmental Innovations, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 77–90, 2022.
M. O. Ezeokoli, H. A. Danjuma, and Y. A. Musa, “Waste governance and environmental sustainability in North-Central Nigeria,” Journal of African Environmental Research, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 102–118, 2025.
T. G. Olatunde-Aiyedun, “Advancing inclusive climate change education with assistive technology,” in Innovative Approaches to Teaching Science in the 21st Century, S. S. Matazu et al., Eds. Gusau, Nigeria: Faculty of Education, Federal University Gusau, 2025, pp. 264–272, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.17421780.
Y. Akinwale and A. Aremo, “Household waste disposal in Nigeria: A case study of Lagos State,” Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 276, Art. no. 111328, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111328.
M. A. I. Chowdhury, S. Roy, and M. N. Islam, “Evaluating the effectiveness of colour-coded bins in urban waste segregation: Evidence from South Asia,” Waste Management & Research, vol. 39, no. 9, pp. 1130–1141, 2021.
A. T. Ibrahim and S. A. Adeleke, “The role of waste sorting in sustainable waste management: A case for colour-coded bins in Nigeria,” Sustainable Cities and Society, vol. 95, 2023.
T. O. Adeyemi and B. U. Eze, “Community-based approaches to municipal solid waste management in Nigerian cities,” African Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 55–67, 2024.
United Nations Environment Programme, Sustainable Waste Management: A Global Perspective. Nairobi, Kenya: UNEP, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.unep.org/resources/report
T. G. Olatunde-Aiyedun, “Student teachers’ attitude towards teaching practice,” International Journal of Culture and Modernity, vol. 8, pp. 6–17, 2021. [Online]. Available: http://ijcm.academicjournal.io/index.php/ijcm/article/download/59/58
A. T. Ibrahim and S. A. Adeleke, “The role of waste sorting in sustainable waste management: A case for colour-coded bins in Nigeria,” Sustainable Cities and Society, vol. 95, 2023.
M. O. Olumide, A. R. Adebayo, and B. J. Alabi, “Community participation and innovations in urban waste sorting: Lagos as a case study,” Journal of Environmental Innovations, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 77–90, 2022.
M. O. Ezeokoli, H. A. Danjuma, and Y. A. Musa, “Waste governance and environmental sustainability in North-Central Nigeria,” Journal of African Environmental Research, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 102–118, 2025.
T. G. Aiyedun, “Effect of animation teaching strategy on secondary school students’ achievement, retention and interest in climate change in Lokoja, Kogi State,” International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 944–949, 2020, doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.20462.77125.
C. G. Ekpo and T. G. Aiyedun, “Environmental education: Essential tool for the attainment of sustainable development goals in the 21st century Nigeria,” The Researcher: A Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 124–142, 2018. [Online]. Available: http://www.researchersjournal.org/j2/papers/v1n1g.pdf
World Bank, What a Waste 2.0: A Global Snapshot of Solid Waste Management to 2050. Washington, DC, USA: World Bank Publications, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://datatopics.worldbank.org/what-a-waste/
T. G. Olatunde-Aiyedun, M. Olatunde, and N. J. Ogunode, “Causes, effects, and predictions of global climate change: 2012–2026,” Web of Semantic: Universal Journal on Innovative Research, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 29–40, 2022. [Online]. Available: http://univerpubl.com/index.php/semantic/article/view/8
United Nations Environment Programme, Sustainable Waste Management: A Global Perspective. Nairobi, Kenya: UNEP, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.unep.org/resources/report
E. N. Ajani, R. N. Mgbenka, and O. Onah, “Approaches to waste management and sustainable development in Nigeria,” Sustainability in Environment, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 34–42, 2018, doi: 10.22158/se.v3n1p34.
Y. Akinwale and A. Aremo, “Household waste disposal in Nigeria: A case study of Lagos State,” Journal of Environmental Management, vol. 276, Art. no. 111328, 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111328.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tope Gloria Olatunde-Aiyedun, Mustapha Obaje, Halimat Sadiyat Otu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
