Environmental and Public Health Impacts of Polythene Waste Disposal in Maisandari Ward, Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria

Abstract

Plastic waste pollution represents a rapidly intensifying environmental and public health challenge in urban centers across Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly where municipal waste management infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth and consumption patterns. This study assessed the spatial distribution, disposal practices, and environmental and health risk awareness associated with polythene waste in Maisandari Ward, Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed, combining field-based quadrat sampling (2 m²; three replicates per site across four stratified sub-locations) with a structured household survey (n = 142; 94.7% response rate). Sachet water plastics composed primarily of LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) and VLDPE (Very Low-Density Polyethylene) constituted the dominant waste fraction (43%). Waste density varied spatially, ranging from 1 item/2 m² in Benkalio Estate to 4 items/2 m² in Maisandari South. Only 16.2% of respondents reported access to formal waste collection systems, and open burning was the predominant disposal method (59%). Although environmental awareness was high (97.9%), health risk awareness was markedly low (14.1%). The findings demonstrate a significant gap between environmental recognition and health literacy, suggesting that visible environmental degradation does not necessarily translate into perceived personal health risk. The convergence of sachet plastic dominance, infrastructure deficits, and hazardous disposal practices amplifies environmental exposure pathways in semi-arid urban settings. Integrated interventions combining infrastructure development, regulatory enforcement, circular economy strategies, and targeted health communication are urgently required.