Physical Characterisation and Analysis of the Perception of Potential Risks Associated with the Proliferation of Solid Waste along the Lomé Coastline in Togo

Leslie Bertha Mouloungui Kussu (), René Casimir Zoo Eyindanga, Messan Vimenyo, Brigitte Nicole Ngawandji, Koku-Azonko Fiagan and Jean-Bernard Mambani
Additional contact information
Leslie Bertha Mouloungui Kussu: Regional Center of Excellence on Sustainable Cities in Africa (Cervida Dounedon), University of Lomé, Lomé 01BP1515, Togo
René Casimir Zoo Eyindanga: Geography and Environment Laboratory, Higher Teacher’s Training College, Libreville B.P. 17009, Gabon
Messan Vimenyo: Research Laboratory on the Dynamics of Environments and Societies, University of Lomé, Lomé 01BP1515, Togo
Brigitte Nicole Ngawandji: Geography and Environment Laboratory, Higher Teacher’s Training College, Libreville B.P. 17009, Gabon
Koku-Azonko Fiagan: Research Laboratory on the Dynamics of Environments and Societies, University of Lomé, Lomé 01BP1515, Togo
Jean-Bernard Mambani: Geography and Environment Laboratory, Higher Teacher’s Training College, Libreville B.P. 17009, Gabon

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 12, 1-17

Abstract: The coastal zone is constantly under pressure from human activities. One of these pressures is the concentration of solid waste that has escaped from the sanitation system in place. The Togolese coastline, mainly the segment from Aflao to Kpogan, is overrun by waste from households and various socioeconomic activities and is faced with the challenges of unregulated solid waste management. This situation is contributing to the degradation of the urban landscape and is giving rise to environmental and health risks. The aim of this study is to carry out a physical characterisation and analyse the perception of the potential environmental and health risks involved. The methodology included documentary research, site mapping, physical characterisation of waste using the MODECOM approach, principal component analysis and a survey of 300 households in our study area. The results show the poor waste management that prevails along the Lomé coastline, with the anarchic proliferation of waste dumps: 13 categories of waste including a predominance of flexible plastic waste out of a total of 510 kg collected. The results show that the environment is deteriorating, with unsightly, unpleasant smells and the presence of pests. These environmental risks expose the population to diseases such as malaria, lung infection, diarrhoea, typhoid fever and skin diseases.

Keywords: waste; characterisation; environmental degradation; sanitation; coastline (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/12/4968/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/12/4968/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:12:p:4968-:d:1412307

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().