EFFECTS OF COTTAGE INDUSTRIES ON AMBIENT AIR POLLUTION IN NIGER SOUTH, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The impacts of cottage industry operations on the ambient air quality in Niger South, Niger State. Pollutants such as NO 2 (Nitrogen dioxide), SO (Sulphur dioxide), CO (Carbon monoxide), NH (Amonia), H S (Hydrogen Sulphide), CO 2 3 2 2 (Carbon dioxide) and PM (Particulate matter) were measured within ten (10) days at three (3) consecutive intervals across eight cottage industries, brass, pottery, sheabutter, blacksmith, locust bean, cassava processing, glass-work and kernel processing using the handheld mobile gas detectors. The generated data were presented in mean and compared with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) permissible limit for outdoor pollutants. The result showed traces of air pollutants (NO , SO , CO, NH3 and CO2) as well as particulate matter at the 2 2 vicinity of the industries, which reflected the impacts of the cottage industries on the release of harmful pollutants into the immediate environment. Accordingly, the mean concentration of NO within and 50m proximity to the glasswork 2 3 3processing industries (1.05 and 0.7µgm ) were above the NESREA limit (0.5µgm ). Similarly, SO at the vicinity of the 2 3 3 3 3 3potter y (1.13µgm ), blacksmith (1.54µgm ), locust bean (2.21µgm ) and glasswork (24.85µgm ) were above the 1µgm recommended by NESREA. The mean concentration of PM at the vicinity of brass (140.6 ppm), pottery (131.2 ppm), 2.5 blacksmith (122.5 ppm), shea-butter (106.4 ppm) and glasswork (95.4 ppm) were above the NESREA limit (80 ppm). The P3v alue of 0.000, 0.023 and 0.000 µgm , for the ambient mean concentration of CO , PM , and PM portrayed significant 2 2.5 10 difference with respect to proximity (within, 50m and 100m buffer) to the cottage industries. In conclusion, the various production activities at the existing cottage industries in Niger South were contributing to the present-day air pollution at trace levels. This was due to the reliance of fuelwood, charcoal and the use of fossil fuel as energy sources. It is important that this cottage industries were linked to the national grid hydroelectricity to limit the rate of emission. In addition, financial credit support should be provided to the various actors in the cottage industries to enhance production and use of low pollution technological tools in carrying out their operation.