Environmental Evaluation of Dangote Cement Plant, Ibese, Ogun State, Nigeria
##article.abstract##
Industrialization though has improved the economy of Nigeria, but the threat posed by the development of these industries to the environment and its habitants cannot be left out. Cement plants are known for emitting suspended particulate matter and toxic gases to the environment. This study assessed the environmental impact of Dangote cement plant at Ibese. Experimental and survey methods were employed in the assessment. The air was analyzed to determine the suspended particulate matter, noise level, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and sulphur dioxide. The alkalinity, acidity, pH, total solids, dissolved solids, suspended solids, oil and grease, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chloride, hardness, nitrate, phosphate, sulphate and total metals determinations were carried out on the cement plant wastewater. pH, organic carbon and total metals were analyzed on the cement plant soil and the community soil. Questionnaires were administered to the employees of the cement plant and the inhabitants of the host community and the data collected was analyzed using descriptive analysis and Chi-Square in SPSS. Result showed that the suspended particulate matter 41.36±7.44µg/l and the noise level of 74.30±0.50dB were below the standards recommended by Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA). Carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) were not detected except at the entrance of the cement plant where CO was determined to be 1ppm. Physicochemical parameters of the wastewater were within the safe limits approved by FEPA (pH: 7.53±0.075, total dissolved solids: 719.67±0.577 mg/l, chloride:
134.33±1.528 mg/l, nitrate: 8.83±0.113 mg/l, sulphate: 35.31±0.350 mg/l, phosphate: 0.44±0.182 and biochemical oxygen demand: 36.40±0.353 mg/l) except total suspended solids (294.33±4.509mg/l) and chemical oxygen demand (138.47±1.118 mg/l). Oil and grease, chromium, copper, lead and nickel were not detected in wastewater. The pH of the soil obtained from the cement plant was slightly alkaline (7.53±0.076) when compared to the value from the community which was slightly acidic (6.47±0.157). This study showed that the cement plant put preventive measures to avert the environmental problems caused by cement production though the cement plant needs to improve its corporate social responsibilities to the host community.
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