Factors governing stakeholders' choice of gathering and disposing of solid wastes in some southwestern states of Nigeria were appraised using Iwo and Ibadan as case studies. The objectives were to determine associated challenges and recommend possible improvements. The study administered 1,400 structured questionnaires, out of which 873 (62.3%) were respondents. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result showed an upward trend in solid waste disposal in the two communities, according to stakeholders' income and household size. Solid wastes generally encountered in the study areas include foods, leaves, papers, clothing, leather, hair attachments, nylons, plastics, metals, and cans which often litter the dump environment. The economic cost of a sack-load of waste was *N200 in Iwo and N495 in Ibadan, and the frequency of waste removal is 150% higher in Iwo than in Ibadan. The average distance to the dumpsite is 2 km, which discourages low-income earners who are mostly pedestrians. Ibadan residents are culturally disposed to dirty streets and drainages/gutters with solid wastes; unfortunately, the situation in Iwo is not different. Stakeholder perceptions of factors impacting waste disposal in Iwo gave greater weight to (1) income and spending power, (2) culture, (3) religion, (4) governmental intervention, and (5) health factors in that order. In Ibadan, (1) income and spending power, (2) health factors, (3) occupational hazards, and (4) religion were rated in that sequence. It is conjectured that these issues demand strong attention in efforts to build functional capacities for solid waste disposal.

Environmental quality is a sustainability issue influenced by economic realities. To understand their relationships and influence, a comparative study of economic factors that affect pollution in Iwo and Ibadan metropolia was carried out. Data for the study was generated by administering 1067 structured questionnaires at both locations out of which 215 and 658 were, respectively, retrieved from Iwo and Ibadan. Demographic features of the respondents assessed as female gender, married status, tertiary education, a Christian sect, and household size of two to five, were 52%, 67%,79%, 67%, and 55% in that order for Iwo; while for Ibadan, the figures were 67%, 61%, 86%, 69%, and 58% in the same order. The six economic factors evaluated were; (1) income, (2) accommodation & living standards, (3) waste & noise management regimen, (4) energy utilization (5), inclination toward a green economy, and (6) waste sorting technology and adoption. KMO (74.8%) and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity showed that the data were factorable at p <  0.005. Results considered three of the economic variables as significant enough to explain 59.3% of the pollution state in Iwo and 60.2% in Ibadan. Of major importance for Iwo were waste & noise management regime (22.5%), accommodation & living standards (18.7%), and inclination towards a green economy (18.3%). In Ibadan, the three extracted factors also explained 60.2% of all economic variables affecting pollution. These were accommodation and living standards (24.4%), inclination towards a green economy (18.8%), and waste & noise management regime (17.0%). That means the strong economic influencers of pollution were common to both cities, even though, their order of importance varied. In other words, their degree of influence on pollution may be location dependent. Conclusively, the people's standard of living and inclination towards a green economy are compelling determinants of environmental pollution and so should be considered by stakeholders in formulating associated policies.

Twelve sociological factors such as: gender, age, marital status, household size, religion, educational attainment, government influence, occupation, housing structure, culture, health issues, and period of residency at the survey location were assessed to evaluate their relative impacts on environmental pollution, in Iwo, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire was prepared and randomly administered to 257 households out of which 215 (83.65%) was completed and retrieved. Data obtained were subjected to descriptive and inferential (factor analysis) statistics. Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett tests showed factorability of data at p < 0.05 significant level. Factor Analysis (FA) ultimately recognized six (6) indices among the sociological factors as having eigenvalues above 1. The indices explained 65% of the total variance and are weighted as follows: household size (12.5%), marital status (11.4%), government influence (10.7%), religion (10.5%), culture (9.8%), and health issues (9.8%). These are essential indices to be explored when measuring sociological impacts on environmental pollution. That means, cultures that discourage pollution are to be identified and supported by relevant government policies and legislations.

Environmental quality (EQ) is germane to achieving sustainable living on earth. To evaluate a related stimulus of EQ on area basis, a comparative analyses of economic factors that influence pollution in Iwo and Ibadan metropolis was carried out. Data for the study was generated through the administration of 700 structured questionnaires in total at both locations, out of which 165 and 473 were retrieved from Iwo and Ibadan respectively. The distribution of respondents in form of male gender, married status, tertiary education and household size of not more than 5 were 51.5%, 78.2%, 24.9% and 46.1% respectively for Iwo, while it was 38.5%, 81.0%, 28.6% and 48.8% in the same order for Ibadan. Economic factors analyzed were (1) Income (2) living standard indexed by the form of accommodation occupied (3) waste/noise management regimen (4) energy utilization (5) orthodox versus green economy adoption and (6) waste sorting capacity. Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity admitted the data as factorable at p < 0.005. Results showed that three of the economic variables significantly explained the pollution status in Iwo and Ibadan. The variables in Iwo explained 59.3% of the factors and these are waste/noise management strategies (22.5%), living standard (18.7%) and green economy adoption (18.3%). 60.2% of economic impacts on pollution in Ibadan were explained by living standard (24.4%), green economy adoption (18.8%) and waste/noise management strategies (17.0%). Only two of the variables namely living standard, and green economy adoption were common to the two study locations, although, their importance and ordering varied. While waste and noise management were most significant in Iwo, the same variable had the least effect in Ibadan. Green economy adoption was least in Iwo but most significant in Ibadan. Thus, the economic factors influencing pollution in Iwo and Ibadan metropolis, though similar, may not be given a generalized weighting. In other words, analyses of pollution-related matters from the economic viewpoint should be location specific.

Environmental quality is a sustainability index and is also influenced by economic realities. In order to understand the practical values of related components, on area basis, a comparative study of economic factors which influence pollution in Iwo and Ibadan metropolis was carried out. The data for the study was generated through the administration of a total 1,400 structured questionnaires in both locations out of which 215 and 658 were retrieved from Iwo and Ibadan metropolis respectively. The survey showed that respondents of male gender, married status, tertiary education, Christianity sect, household size of 2 to 5 were 52%, 67%,83%, 67.1% and 55% respectively for Iwo, while it was 67%, 61%, 86%, 68%, 71.2% and 57% in the same order for Ibadan. Six economic factors were identified namely (1) Income level (2) accommodation and living standard (3) waste/noise management regimen (4) energy utilization (5) orthodox versus green economy status and (6) waste sorting. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity showed that the data was factorable at p < 0.005. The results of the analyses showed that three different economic variables each gave significant explanations for the pollution in Iwo and Ibadan. The significant variables extracted for Iwo explained 59.3% of the factors which were waste/noise management strategies (22.5%), accommodation and living standard (18.7%) and inclination towards green economy (18.3%). The three factors extracted for Ibadan explained 60.2% effect of all economic variables on pollution. These were accommodation and living standard (24.4%), inclination towards green economy (18.8%) and waste/noise management strategies (17.0%). Though two of the variables namely accommodation and living standard, and inclination towards green economy were common to both study areas, their respective importance and ordering varied. While waste and noise management were most significant in Iwo, the same variable had the least effect in Ibadan. Similarly, while inclination towards green economy was lowest in Iwo, it was the most significant in Ibadan. It is therefore concluded that the three economic factors influencing pollution in Iwo and Ibadan metropolis, though similar cannot be given a generalized weighting. In other words, targeted efforts towards resolving pollution-related matters from economic viewpoint should be specific for each administrative or local government area.