Sustainability of Municipal Solid Waste Scavenging and Recycling as Sources of Livelihood in Biu Local Government Area, Borno State

Abstract

The present study evaluated the prospect of informal municipal solid waste scavenging and recycling as sources of livelihood among waste pickers in Biu local Government Area of Borno State. Data was collected directly from scavengers, artisanal recyclers as well as the middlemen through structured questionnaires and personal observations. Findings revealed that 124 (96.9%) were male, while only 4 (3.1%) were female who are mostly between 18–25 years. Analysis also revealed about 69.6% of respondents agreed that scavenging provides stable employment and income, while 43.7% agreed that scavenging and recycling supports their household needs. The study further showed that about 69.6% agreed that scavenging has improved their socio-economic well-being since the start of the operations. On the environmental and Health risks associated with Scavenging and Recycling, majority of the scavenger (77.4%) acknowledged that scavenging exposes them to health risks of cuts, respiratory infections, and exposure to hazardous substances. Only 32.8% agreed the work environment is safe, while the majority (64.1% disagreed) believed it is unsafe. This indicates poor safety conditions, lack of protective equipment, and exposure to smoke, dust and bad odor. On institutional recognition of informal about 95.3% disagreed/strongly disagreed that their activities are recognized by government, suggesting that scavenging is marginalized and excluded from formal waste management initiative. Multiple Linear Regression Analysis was applied to determine the relationship between livelihood benefits, environmental/health risks, institutional support (independent variables), and sustainability perception (dependent variable). The model explained approximately 51% of the variance (R² = 0.508) in sustainability, indicating that the chosen predictors account for a moderate to strong portion of the factors shaping respondents’ perception of sustainability.