INTEGRATING PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MODELS FOR SUSTAINABLE PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT: A CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITY OF DELTA, AGBOR, NIGERIA
OMORUYI C. I., ASHIBUDIKE O. E., OKOH E., MBAH J. C., ASIKADI I. C., OKPAKO E. A., MORMAH F. O., MBAH P. E. AND CHIEMEKE S. C.
ABSTRACT
Plastic pollution presents a significant global and local environmental challenge. With Nigeria’s growing population, million metric tons of solid waste are generated annually, and only a fraction is collected. Hence, the need for effective waste management, particularly for plastics, is therefore critical. In Delta State, about two hundred tons of plastic wastes are generated daily, contributing to severe gutter and waterway blockages, leading to floods, property loss, and increased incidence of malaria and cholera. University communities, as miniature cities with diverse activities, are significant waste generators and ideal living laboratories for fostering sustainability. However, waste management systems in many Nigerian universities, including the University of Delta (UNIDEL), Agbor, are currently substandard. This study explores the interplay between public awareness campaigns and the emergence of social enterprises in addressing plastic waste menace in University of Delta, Agbor. This paper underscored the importance of a well-designed public awareness initiatives in bolstering community participation and changing behaviours which in turn provides an enabling environment for growth and impact of social enterprises focused on plastic waste collection, recycling and up-cycling.