Exposure and Health Risks Assessment among Waste Pickers in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

In Nigeria, waste pickers play a significant role in the management of waste at open dump sites. Waste picking is an income-generating venture for most people with low-income base. The activity of sorting waste at dump sites predisposes health risks to waste pickers of which this study has examined. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey with a convenience sampling method which was conducted among 114 waste pickers in three selected open dump sites in Obio-Akpor local government area in Rivers state, Nigeria. A validated questionnaire was used in eliciting responses from the respondents. The statistical technique employed include logistic regression analysis which revealed significant associations between dump site exposure and respiratory symptoms (P≤0.000P), emphasizing the critical role of site-specific factors in determining health risks. Conversely, no significant associations were found between waste picking and infectious or chronic diseases (P=1.00P = 1.00), suggesting that other factors, such as personal hygiene and healthcare access, may modulate these risks. It is unlikely that waste pickers will have a risk-free environment, but supportive policies such as provision of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and more awareness programmes on the health risks related to such enterprises will aid in reducing the associated health risks.