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Survey of Sachet Water Waste Disposal in Liberia.

ABSTRACT: Background:Five hundred milliliter bags of water, referred to as 'sachet water,' are widely used in Liberia, as they are low cost, safe sources of clean drinking water for the population. Objectives:This study aims to determine sources of drinking water in the study area, the rate of sachet water use, empty sachet water disposal methods and environmental problems associated with sachet water waste disposal. Methods:Using a simple random sampling technique, 257 respondents were interviewed between April and June 2018 using structured questionnaires. On a five-point Likert scale with a mean score of 3 as the cutoff point, data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results:The paper found that sachet water (mean (M)=4.37) is an essential source of drinking water in Liberia with a daily consumption rate of at least 6 bags of sachet water per individual. Affordability, availability, and safety were named by respondents as reasons for their consumption of sachet water. Improper disposal methods practiced by the residents of Liberia included ground littering (M=3.42) and burning (M=3.03). Conclusions:Sachet water consumption has contributed to environmental issues such as drainage system clogs, littering of the environment, the death of terrestrial and aquatic animals due to plastic waste consumption, reduction of oxygen for aquatic life and soil infertility. We recommend the creation of policies and enforcement of sachet water production to include reuse and recycling of sachet water by-products as a requirement for licensing of producers, provision of adequate waste bins and the use of public education campaigns to educate residents on environmental best practices. Ethics Approval:This study was approved by the Institute for Population Studies, University of Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia. Informed Consent:Obtained. Competing Interests:The authors declare no competing financial interests.

SUBMITTER: Apeh CC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6285681 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Survey of Sachet Water Waste Disposal in Liberia.

Apeh Chikamso C CC

Journal of health & pollution 20181206 20

<h4>Background</h4>Five hundred milliliter bags of water, referred to as 'sachet water,' are widely used in Liberia, as they are low cost, safe sources of clean drinking water for the population.<h4>Objectives</h4>This study aims to determine sources of drinking water in the study area, the rate of sachet water use, empty sachet water disposal methods and environmental problems associated with sachet water waste disposal.<h4>Methods</h4>Using a simple random sampling technique, 257 respondents w ...[more]

PMID: 30560010

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Project description:The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global emergence, and the absence of a proven vaccine or medicine has led to the implementation of measures to prevent and control the spread of the virus. Wearing protective equipment like mask and gloves, washing hands via soap, frequent use of antiseptic solution and maintaining social distance are being applied globally to reduce the transmission rate. Therefore, this study was intended to investigate water, sanitation and hygienic (WASH) behaviour, protective equipment use and their disposal practices among Bangladeshi residents amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the study aims, data were collected mainly via an online survey and analysed through a set of statistical tools including T test, one-way ANOVA and principal component analysis (PCA). This study found that almost 89.80% of the respondents reported to know about the COVID-19 and its preventive measures. WASH status of the respondents is found quite good, where 94.60% stated to have available potable water, 99% have improved toilet facilities, 95% wash their hands via soap, and 79.80% clean their house and toilets by antiseptic solutions properly. Moreover, nearly 94.50% and 54.80% people reported to use face mask and hand gloves, respectively, but the disposal practice of these protective equipment is inappropriate. More than 50% of people reported disposing of their used mask, gloves and tissue with other household wastes, which is alarming for public health and environmental perspective. Moreover, the WASH and waste disposal practices of the marginal people were found very poor and not at a satisfactory level. The results of statistical analysis focused on WASH and waste disposal practices as well as the factors which influence these practices. It is found that gender, occupation, area of residence, and level of education of the participants mainly influence the WASH and waste disposal practices. It is expected that this study exposed the necessity to introduce proper infectious waste management policy and also the increase in awareness level among mass people regarding the preventive measures of COVID-19 infection to combat against disease transmission and environmental pollution.Supplementary informationThe online version of this article (10.1007/s10668-020-01151-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Survey of Sachet Water Waste Disposal in Liberia.

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Survey of Sachet Water Waste Disposal in Liberia.

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