ABSTRACT
Many piggery farms are established within 1 km
distance of the residential households in Rivers state of Nigeria. These farms,
despite their immense socio-economic benefits in terms of production of meat
and employment generations often constitute some environmental risks to both
human and animal lives through water/soil and air pollution. These waste
products are produced in form of pig’ excrement, litters and on-farm
mortalities, among others. This study therefore examined the types and
quantities of piggery wastes that are generated by the farms and the management
strategies being used by the farms .It also assessed the implications of the
wastes being generated on the environment. The determinants of the level of
impact of piggery wastes on human health were also examined. The sample for the
study comprised 240 piggery farmers and 250 individuals (victims) of
environmental pollution who were randomly selected from across the three piggery
zone of Rivers State of Nigeria. Results showed that about 55% of the
respondent piggery farms indicated that they generated below 200kg of fecal
materials per month while the average monthly generated fecal wastes stood at
400kg. Similarly, About 65 % of the farms sold, flushed away, or burnt their piggery
wastes while others either buried the wastes or used a combination of two or
more disposal methods. About 63 % of the residents of the affected households
either resolved to permanently shut their doors and windows (particularly those
that are in adjacent position to the directions of the piggery farms) or make
verbal complaints to the headship of the farms to register their protest
against the foul odours. Similarly, about 19 % of the residents made formal
reports by documenting their complaints and forwarding same to government
quarters for a redress while about 18% of them simply chose to engage the
management of the farms in open confrontations in protest of the environmental
pollution. On the whole, the number of piglets being kept, farming experience
of the managers of the farm, system of farming operations, quantities of the
generated fecal materials and the numbers of dead piglets were all significant
determinants at 1% level. Similarly, the distance between the poultry farms and
the residential households, frequency of visits by sanitation officials,
frequency of clearance of piggery wastes by the farm attendants were
significant determinants (at 5%) of the level of impact of the wastes on human
health.
To mitigate the health risk that piggery wastes
caused to the environment and the health of the residents of the households in
the localities, there is the need for the management of piggery farms to
recognize and respect 1 km resident-piggery unit distance, maintain proper and
timely hygiene and observe high level of discipline in the way and manners they
dispose the wastes.