Assessment of Costs and Returns of Some Domestic Solid Wastes Off-Take in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

The study assessed costs and returns of some domestic solid wastes off-take in 2023 and 2024 in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 60 respondents for the study. Primary data were collected with the aid of structured questionnaire administered in the form of interview schedule. Data were generated and analysed using descriptive statistics, and gross margin analysis. Majority (66.7%) of respondents were males and 33.3% were females. Their age ranged from 31 to 40 years for majority and 5% of 51 to 60 years for very few. Majority (58.3%) of the respondents were married with 55% of the respondents having household size between 1 - 5 persons. Similarly, 51.7% of respondents had secondary education and unemployed. Additionally, majority (48.3%) of the respondents had 0 - 5 years experience in the business. The results also revealed that majority (53.3%) of the respondents in the study area had monthly income or returns between ₦400,001 and ₦600,000 generated in the business. Based on the findings of this study, there is need for youths engagement as there is profitability of solid waste off-take as a means of recycling to reduce unemployment in the area. Governments should implement tax incentives and subsidies to encourage the businesses and individuals to adopt off-takes as means of wastes reduction and minimization practices, which would keep the environment clean and reduce wastes disposal costs.