Health and Safety Challenges, and Perceptions of Private Sector Waste Operators in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed the knowledge, and perceptions on safety measure practices and challenges of private sector participation (PSP) operators on solid waste management in Lagos State, Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional study and utilized interviewer administered questionnaire. The study employed purposive sampling among 256 PSP operators. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s product moment and multiple regression analysis correlation at 5% level of significance. Respondents’ age was 35.7 ± 4.2 years, and included 78.5% male. About 55.9% of the respondents spent up to 5 years in the waste management operations. Some 44.9% had at least completed secondary school education. A good knowledge of waste management was exhibited by 68.4% of the respondents. The respondents who had spent 16 years and above in waste management operations were more knowledgeable (8.0 ± 2.1) compared to those who had spent lesser time (p < 0.05). Knowledge on three diseases transmitted through unhygienic management of waste was reported as cholera (21.6%), malaria (17.7%) and typhoid (12.8%). A positive correlation (r = 0.991, p < 0.05) existed between respondents’ age and the number of years spent on the waste management. Majority of the operators (68.4%) had a good knowledge of waste management but still a great proportion were not using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like nose masks or hand gloves during operations. Enlightenment programmes such as seminars and workshops on waste management were found necessary and welcomed by the respondents. The major challenges faced by the PSP operators for their effective performance were negative attitude of waste generators towards them, lack of good road network and constant traffic congestion, reluctance of prompt payment of the fee and inadequate landfill sites and inaccessibility to the existing land fills during rainy season.