Abstract:
Poor management of abattoir wastes results in air and water pollution especially residents’ in
their close proximity. The study conducted aimed to investigate the effect of abattoir waste on
the environment and on public health. Abattoir wastes consist of several pollutants such as
animal faeces, blood, bone, fat, animal trimmings, paunch content and urine from operations or
areas like lairage, stunning or bleeding, carcass processing and by-product processing. These
abattoir wastes can be classified as solid, liquid and gaseous forms. Abattoir wastes can have a
detrimental effect on the environment, public health, animal health and economy of the country
if they are not effectively managed and controlled. Abattoirs often have difficulties in disposing,
treating and processing of these wastes in an environmentally acceptable fashion. Manafwa town
council Abattoir generates large quantities of highly concentrated effluent which adversely
impacts the environment. Blood collection and dry cleaning should be adopted in order to
reduce the effluent concentration and volume. Due to this reasons there is high risk on
environmental pollutions like underground water pollution, air pollution, nuisance, odor, soil
pollution and public health risks through transmission of zoonotic diseases to human. Good
manufacturing and good hygienic practices, liquid, solid and gaseous waste management
practices, are highly necessary to minimize the harmful effect of abattoir wastes. Safe disposal,
treatment and processing methods like burial, composting, rendering, incineration, anaerobic
digestion and blood processing are also highly important to absorb our economic benefits from
abattoir wastes /by-products rather than controlling public health risks and environmental
pollution.
