HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF INDISCRIMINATE PLASTIC WASTE DISPOSAL: A CASE OF GUMBIHINI -TAMALE METROPOLIS

Abstract

Plastic waste management is a growing environmental and financial problem especially to developing countries like Ghana. In spite of significant efforts by the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and other partners as Zoomlion to ensure environmental sanity in the metropolis, the environmental situation could still best be described as a menace. This study investigated into the underlying reasons for littering the environment with plastic waste by people and analysed the :health implications posed by the indiscriminate littering of the environment with plastic waste in Gumbihini, one of the suburbs of Tamale. Suggestions were made on sustainable ways of dealing with the indiscriminate plastic waste disposal menace . A survey was conducted among one hundred households in order to generate data to address the research question. The survey data was complimented information gathered from focus group discussions held with some identifiable groups in the community as well as secondary data. High incidence of malaria, cholera, diarrhoea and dysentery in the community were found to have a direct link indiscriminate plastic waste disposal. Choked gutters and unsightly scenes were the most visible effects of poor plastic waste disposal systems in the area. Inadequate numbers of litter bins in the homes and community and endemic poor waste disposal habits were found to contribute to the littering of plastics in the area. The results also showed that sensitization programmes on the radio and household level education on the dangers of indiscriminate plastic waste disposal could impact positively to help reduce the plastic menace in the community. The provision of adequate litter bins to households and at public places could enhance proper waste disposal in Gumbihini.