Geospatial Assessment of the Spatial Distribution of Municipal Solid Waste Collection Points in Sabon Tasha Ward, Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Rapid population growth and unregulated urban expansion in many Nigerian towns have outpaced the capacity of municipal authorities to provide adequate and well-sited waste collection infrastructure. This study applied Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques to identify, map, and analyze the spatial distribution of Municipal Waste Collection Points (MWCPs) in Sabon Tasha Ward, Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna State. Coordinates of existing collection points were acquired with a handheld GPS device during a field survey and overlaid on high resolution satellite imagery within an ArcGIS 10.5 environment. Kernel Density Estimation and Nearest Neighbour Analysis were employed to characterize the pattern of distribution, while attribute data on disposal technique were captured for each site. A total of fifty-three (53) MWCPs were identified, of which thirty-nine (39) were unauthorized and fourteen (14) were authorized. Disposal at these points was dominated by open-field dumping (40%), followed by roadside dumping (32%), refuse containers (26%), and abandoned buildings (2%). The southern and central axes of the ward carried the highest concentration of collection points, while the northern axis had the fewest. Nearest Neighbour Analysis returned an R-ratio of 1.09 and a z-score of 1.29, indicating a randomly dispersed distribution pattern rather than a planned or clustered arrangement. The findings suggest that MWCP siting in the study area has been driven largely by ad-hoc resident behaviour rather than deliberate spatial planning by the responsible agency. The study recommends that the Kaduna State Environmental Protection Agency adopt GIS-based site-selection and monitoring tools to guide the planning, authorization, and management of waste collection infrastructure in the ward.