Sociodemographic factors and environmental workers’ knowledge of the impact of awareness creation on sustainable disposal of solid wastes

Abstract

This study examined sociodemographic factors and environmental workers' knowledge of the impact of awareness-creation on the sustainable disposal of solid waste in Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of the study, two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The sequential explanatory mixed-method design was adopted in the study. The population for the study was 331 respondents, consisting of 120 staff and 211 government-approved service providers from the Cross-River State Ministry of Environment. The population also comprised the sample size of the study. The total enumeration sampling technique was employed. A 42-item structured questionnaire titled “Questionnaire Instrument on Sociodemographic Factors and Environmental Workers’ Knowledge of the Impact of Awareness Creation on Sustainable Disposal of Solid Wastes” (QISFEWKIACSDSW) and a Focus Group Discussion Schedule (FGDS) were the instruments used for data collection. The instruments were face validated by three experts: two from Social Science Education and one from the Measurement and Evaluation Unit of the Department of Science Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The Cronbach Alpha Reliability Method was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument. Data collected from the questionnaire was analyzed using mean and standard deviation for the research questions while independent sampled t-test statistic was used to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance and the FGDS was used to supplement the findings of the quantitative analysis. Findings of the study revealed that, to a high extent, awareness creation based on location and gender can contribute positively to the sustainable disposal of solid waste materials. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended, among others, that enlightenment programs such as awareness creation, town hall meetings, and workshops be organized among community members on the need for sustainable disposal of solid waste materials in Cross River State, Nigeria.