Samples of Municipal solid waste from dumps located within three residential zones of Kano
metropolis were collected and segregated into their various classifiable bulks. Bacterial flora of
the dumps was also determined. Results indicated that there is a wide variation in the
composition of the waste in the three residential zones. Biodegradable waste made up of plant
matter (leaves, grasses and stumps, food residues, vegetables and ash were generated in the
highest quantity in the study (68.26) but with marked variation among the zones as fllows: (82%),
in the suburban area (68%) in the city, and only(7%) in the GRA. For non-biodegradable,
consisting of glass, paper, metal and plastic, they account for (31.74%) of the total waste in the
study but, the GRA has the highest with (83%), while the least was (15%) in the suburban area
and (28%) in the city. Variation in bulk ranges from 564kg/cubic meter with specific density of
0.31t/m3
in the GRA, to 932kg/cubic meter with a specific density of 0.55t/m3
in the city and
1030kg/cubic meter with a specific density of 0.63t/m3
in the suburban area. Bacterial isolates
from the dumps with their respective percentage prevalence were E. coli (88.90%),
Staphylococcus aureus (80.60%), Salmonella (39.10%), Klebsiella sp (41.60%), Shigella sp
(45.2%) and Proteus sp (31.80%) in the city, in the suburban area it is (86.70%), (76.7%),
(46.7%), (41.1%), (43.3%) and (33.3%) while in the GRA it is(56.40%), ( 43.8%), (16.1%),
(22.3%), (27.60%) and (11.7%) respectively. Variation has implication for the frequency of
collection, storage, transport disposal, choice and suitability of equipments, health of the
inhabitants and economics.