Abstract

Municipal solid wastes (MSWs) stream is becoming problematic due to the threat they posed to the environment, biodiversity and public health. Due to improper and/or insufficient management strategies unsegregated MSWs are burnt or left to undergo biological or physicochemical transformation, thereby producing foul odour that infringes on ambient air quality. In this study, the seasonal impacts of 7 waste dumpsites including control were assessed using portable air quality and meteorological metres. Result were reported as; temperature (dry: 31.33±0.98 - 33.76±1.00 and wet: 27.91±0.44 - 28.48±0.18 OC), relative humidity (dry: 57.24±7.16 - 61.84±5.66 and wet: 82.93±3.44 - 86.58±4.11%), wind speed (dry: 1.22±0.45 - 3.49±1.18 and wet: 0.73±0.07 - 5.25±0.06 m/s), and wind direction was predominantly South-West in both seasons. carbon monoxide (dry 0.18±0.03 - 1.23±0.10 and wet: 0.00±0.00 - 0.54±0.04 ppm), hydrogen sulphide (0.42±0.53 - 6.95±1.49 and 0.07±0.01 - 7.44±1.99 ppm), Oxides of Sulphur (0.01±0.00 - 0.81±0.08 ppm for both season), oxides of Nitrogen (dry 0.01±0.00 - 0.82±0.07 and wet: 0.01±0.00 - 0.33±0.04 ppm). Compared to the control values, results indicated higher anthropogenic impact of MSWs on ambient air quality with regards to seasonal variation. Consequent upon these findings, we urge the government and community leaders to intervene and educate inhabitants on the danger posed by anthropogenic activities arising from poor handling of MSWs.