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Health and Environmental Risks of Residents Living Close to a Landfill: A Case Study of Thohoyandou Landfill, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Prince O. Njoku

    (Department of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa)

  • Joshua N. Edokpayi

    (Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa)

  • John O. Odiyo

    (Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa)

Abstract

The by-products of solid waste deposited in a landfill has adverse effects on the surrounding environment and humans living closer to landfill sites. This study sought to test the hypothesis that the deposition of waste on landfill has an impact on the surrounding environment and residents living closer to it. This was achieved by evaluating the perception of the respondents drawn from people living close (100–500 m) and far (1–2 km) from the landfill site, concerning environmental issues, health problems, and life satisfaction. Results from the study showed that 78% of participants living closer to the landfill site indicated serious contamination of air quality evident from bad odours linked to the landfill site. Illnesses such as flu, eye irritation and weakness of the body were frequently reported by participants living closer to the landfill than those living far from the landfill. More than half of the participants (56%) living closer to the landfill indicated fear of their health in the future. Thus, the participants living closer to the landfill site were less satisfied with the location of their community with respect to the landfill, than those living far from the landfill site. Therefore, the need for a landfill gas (LFG) utilisation system, proper daily covering of waste and odour diluting agents are necessary to reduce the problems of the residents living closer to the landfill site.

Suggested Citation

  • Prince O. Njoku & Joshua N. Edokpayi & John O. Odiyo, 2019. "Health and Environmental Risks of Residents Living Close to a Landfill: A Case Study of Thohoyandou Landfill, Limpopo Province, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-27, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:12:p:2125-:d:240203
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bachok Norsa’adah & Omar Salinah & Nyi Nyi Naing & Abdullah Sarimah, 2020. "Community Health Survey of Residents Living Near a Solid Waste Open Dumpsite in Sabak, Kelantan, Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-14, January.
    2. Prince Obinna Njoku & Stuart Piketh & Rachel Makungo & Joshua Nosa Edokpayi, 2023. "Monitoring of Subsurface Emissions and the Influence of Meteorological Factors on Landfill Gas Emissions: A Case Study of a South African Landfill," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-24, March.
    3. Shelby M. Rimmler & Sarah Shaughnessy & Ellis Tatum & Naeema Muhammad & Shaelyn Hawkins & Alexandra Lightfoot & Sherri White-Williamson & Courtney G. Woods, 2023. "Photovoice Reveals Residents’ Concerns for Air and Water Quality in Industry-Impacted Rural Community," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-16, April.
    4. Andrei Mikhailovich Dregulo, 2023. "Brownfields, Environmental Stability and Renewable Energy: Pathways to Overcome the Imperfection of Cumulative Effect Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-17, August.
    5. Leidy Marcela Ulloa-Murillo & Lina María Villegas & Alejandra Rocío Rodríguez-Ortiz & Mónica Duque-Acevedo & Francisco Joaquín Cortés-García, 2022. "Management of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste in the Context of a Sustainable and Circular Model: Analysis of Trends in Latin America and the Caribbean," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-25, May.
    6. Einara Blanco Machin & Daniel Travieso Pedroso & Daviel Gómez Acosta & Maria Isabel Silva dos Santos & Felipe Solferini de Carvalho & Adrian Blanco Machín & Matías Abner Neira Ortíz & Reinaldo Sánchez, 2022. "Techno-Economic and Environmental Assessment of Municipal Solid Waste Energetic Valorization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-17, November.
    7. Tanzila Akmal & Faisal Jamil, 2021. "Testing the Role of Waste Management and Environmental Quality on Health Indicators Using Structural Equation Modeling in Pakistan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-11, April.

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