Impact of abattoir waste on the environment and human health, case study Bubulo abattoir in Manafwa town council, Manafwa District.

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.