Comparative Indoor Air Quality Assessment from a Local Fabricated Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Recycling Plant in Bayelsa State Yenagoa

Abstract

Waste recycling is one major technique employed in waste reductions and controls, but there are still environmental issues in the emissions of harmful gaseous pollutants including carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Therefore, this study aims in investigating a private Locally Fabricated Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Recycling Plant in Bayelsa State Yenagoa in determining the concentrations of the abovementioned pollutants and compare results to the National Environmental Standards and Regulatory Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and World Health Organization (WHO) using Gas Analyzer (Aeroqual series 500) in 8-hour air quality sampling for 2 consecutive workdays. The results shows that averaged records for CO, CO2 and VOCs were 0.25 mg/m³, 2081.15 mg/m³ (1155.94 ppm) and 9.25 mg/m³ respectively. Comparatively, CO level from the LDPE recycling process were significantly below NESREA and WHO standard guidelines of indoor air quality of 10 mg/m³ (8-hr), whereas CO₂ and VOCs recoded elevated concentration over NESREA and WHO, though VOCs for WHO is 0.17µg/m³ (Annually) and NESREA of 0.1 ppm (0.28µg/m³, workplace), yet the sampled result was significantly high, indicating exacerbation of air quality issues that can lead to respiratory conditions and eventually death. Similarly, CO2 was also higher of 1155.94 ppm over NESREA and WHO standard guidelines for personal exposure of Indoor air quality of 8 hour (< 1000 ppm). On percentage comparison, CO was 1 % to 49.5 %. CO2 was 36 % to 32 %, while VOCs was 97 % to 1 % and 2 % NESREA and WHO respectively.