Health Impacts of Informal Solid Waste Scavenging in Minna, Nigeria

Ibelieve Isaac¹ , Jerry Habila² , Hafiz Salami³ , Opara Chibiko Increase⁴ , Okoro Nneka Olivia⁵

Section:Research Paper, Product Type: Journal-Paper
Vol.6 , Issue.12 , pp.53-57, Dec-2020

Online published on Dec 31, 2020

Copyright © Ibelieve Isaac, Jerry Habila, Hafiz Salami, Opara Chibiko Increase, Okoro Nneka Olivia . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
 

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Abstract :
Exposures to sharp objects during waste scavenging have negative health implications on the waste scavengers. Although the informal sector in general and solid waste scavenging in particular is indispensable in the efforts towards urban poverty reduction, it is not without negative implications on the health and safety of the participants. The study aimed at assessing the health impacts of informal solid waste scavenging in Minna, Nigeria. Consequently, the specific objectives of the study are to identify the adoption of safety measures by scavengers in the study area and to investigate the scavengers’ perception of their socioeconomic condition. Purposive sampling was used to administer interview schedules to 144 solid waste scavengers in the study area. Analysis was conducted using JASP 0.11.1 statistical software. It was discovered that majority of the solid waste scavengers in Minna are above 18years olds, but below 39years old. Furthermore, the solid waste scavengers reported an improvement in their socioeconomic conditions after joining the industry. However, majority of the solid waste scavengers do not practice safety measures in the course of their daily livelihood. It was therefore recommended that there should be an establishment and stringent enforcement of rules that will ensure adoption of safety measures by the waste scavengers. More so, it is suggested that the Niger State Environmental Protection Agency should give the scavengers an enabling environment to practice their trade owing to their ole in municipal waste management.

Key-Words / Index Term :
Solid wastes, Scavenging, Health, Migrants, Urbanisation, Consumption, Environment

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