Article Sidebar

Submitted
November 7, 2024
Published
June 30, 2025
Download
Download PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 24

Main Article Content

Abstract

Background: While industrial construction supports societal growth, the Obajana cement factory in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, Nigeria, has caused significant environmental issues due to toxin release. This study assessed the impact of industrial pollution on the physical and mental well-being of people living near the Obajana cement industry.


Methods: This study used a descriptive survey. The target population consisted of 5,085 locals living near the Obajana Cement Factory in Kogi State, Nigeria. Four hundred and twenty (420) heads of household were chosen using a multi-stage sample approach.


Results: The findings revealed that pollutants from cement mills severely harm the community’s health.


Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of government action in enforcing environmental laws. Health agencies in Kogi State should launch awareness campaigns on the importance of regular medical checkups to reduce health risks. Meanwhile, relevant agencies must ensure factory compliance, and residents and workers must use personal protective equipment.

Keywords

Health implication pollutants well-being factory environment

Article Details

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Dare Abubakar Baba , Babatunde Ekundayo, Samson Adebayo Babatunde; Rasheed Onigbegi Ambali; Abdulkareem Hussein Bibire, Kamalud-Deen Adekunle Uthman

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Author Biographies

Dare Abubakar Baba , University of Ilorin, Nigeria

Baba Dare Abubakar holds a Ph.D. and is a senior lecturer in the Department of Health Promotion and Environmental Health Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin. He has over 10 years of teaching and research experience. His research interests include Community Health, Primary Health Care, and Public Health Education.

Babatunde Ekundayo, Veritas University, Abuja, Nigeria

Dr. Ekundayo Babatunde is the Programme Coordinator of the Caregiving and Healthcare Assistance Programme at Veritas University Consultancy Unit in Abuja. He also serves as the CEO and Director of Training at Cathund Digital International Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education Limited, a nonprofit organization in Abuja, Nigeria. Dr. Babatunde holds a PhD from the University of Waikato in New Zealand, an MPH from Walden University in the USA, an M.Ed, and a B.Sc (Ed) from the University of Ilorin in Nigeria. His research interests include medical waste management, caregiving innovation, and high-tech methodologies in education. He is committed to advancing healthcare training and fostering global academic collaborations.

Samson Adebayo Babatunde, University of Ilorin, Nigeria

Dr. Babatunde Samson Adebayo, a University of Ibadan alumnus, is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ilorin's Department of Human Kinetics Education. With over a decade of teaching experience, he has served on university statutory boards and has been an adjunct lecturer at PAULESI, University of Ibadan, since 2021. His research interests include Hypnotherapy Training, Sports Career Counselling, Mental Skills Education, and Performance Enhancement.

Rasheed Onigbegi Ambali, Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin, Nigeria

Ambali Rasheed Onigbegi is a lecturer in the Department of Physical and Health Education at Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin. He is currently serving as the Head of Department in the School of Science at the college. 

Abdulkareem Hussein Bibire, Nigeria Police Academy, Kano State, Nigeria

Dr. Bibire Abdulkareem Hussein is a Senior Lecturer at the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State, with over 10 years of experience in teaching and research. He earned his PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Ilorin. His research interests include Personality and Procrastination.

Kamalud-Deen Adekunle Uthman, University of Ilorin, Nigeria

Uthman Kamalud-deen Adekunle is a graduate student in the Department of Health Promotion and Environmental Health Education, Faculty of Education. He is presently at the final stage of his M.Ed. Health Education Programme. His research interests include Sexual and Reproductive Health, Family Health, Adolescent Health, Women's Health, Public Health Education, and Health Counseling.

How to Cite
Baba , D. A., Ekundayo, B., Babatunde, S. A., Ambali, R. O., Bibire, A. H., & Uthman, K.-D. A. (2025). Impact of Industrial Pollutants on the Well-being of Residents in Obajana Cement Factory Area, Kogi State, Nigeria. Pan-African Journal of Health and Environmental Science, 4(1), 28–38. https://doi.org/10.56893/ajhes2025v04i01.03
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX

References

  1. American Lung Association. (2020). State of the Air 2020. ALA www.policycommons.net
  2. Anthony, O. O., Ogunbileje, J. O., Sadagoparamanujam, V. M. & Anetor, J. I. (2016). Metal contents of cement dust contributes to lung disease prevalence in cement factory workers. Journal of Pollution Effects and Control, 4:2(Suppl) http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2375-4397.C1.002
  3. Brooks, N., Biswas, D., Hossin, R., Yu, A., Saha, S., Saha, S., Saha, K. S. & Luby, S. P. (2023). Health consequences of small-scale industrial pollution: Evidence from the brick sector in Bangladesh. World Development, 170, 106318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2023.106318
  4. Donato, F., Garzaro, G., Pira, E., & Boffetta, P. (2016). Mortality and cancer morbidity among cement production workers: a meta-analysis. International archives of occupational and environmental health, 89, 1155-1168.
  5. Fernández-Navarro, P., García-Pérez, J., Ramis, R., Boldo, E., & López-Abente, G. (2017). Industrial pollution and cancer in Spain: An important public health issue. Environmental research, 159, 555-563.
  6. Gull, N., Nawaz, Y., Ali, M., Hussain, N., Nawaz, R., & Mushtaq, S. K. (2013). Industrial Air Pollution and Its Effects on Human’s Respiratory System (A Sociological Study of Bhoun Shugar Mill District Jhang, Pakistan). Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy, 2 (3)
  7. Hayat, M. T., Nauman, M., Nazir, N., Ali, S., & Bangash, N. (2019). Environmental hazards of cadmium: past, present, and future. In Cadmium toxicity and tolerance in plants (pp. 163-183). Academic Press.
  8. Hon, K. L., Fung, C. K., & Leung, A. K. (2017). Childhood lead poisoning: an overview. Hong Kong Medical Journal, 23(6), 616.
  9. Mabahwi, N. A., Leh, O. L. H., & Omar, D. (2014). Human health and wellbeing: Human health effect of air pollution. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 153, 221-229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.10.056
  10. Mallongi, A., Stang, S., Astuti, R. D. P., Rauf, A. U., & Natsir, M. F. (2023). Risk assessment of fine particulate matter exposure attributed to the presence of the cement industry. Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management, 9(1), 43-58.
  11. Moghadam, S. R., Abedi, S., Afshari, M., Abedini, E., & Moosazadeh, M. (2017). Decline in lung function among cement production workers: a meta-analysis. Reviews on environmental health, 32(4), 333-341.
  12. Perkins, D. (Ed.). (2022). Rural small-scale industry in the People's Republic of China. Univ of California Press.
  13. Portland Cement Association (2001). Cement hazards and control health risks and precautions in using Portland cement. http://www.cpwrconstructionsolutions.org.
  14. Rachiotis, G., Kostikas, K., Pinotsi, D., Hadjichristodoulou, C., & Drivas, S. (2018). Prevalence of lung function impairment among Greek cement production workers: a cross-sectional study. Industrial health, 56(1), 49-52.
  15. Reuter, H. (2013). Air pollution: leading cause of cancer. Geneva: World Health Organization publication.
  16. RoyChowdhury, A., Datta, R., & Sarkar, D. (2018). Heavy metal pollution and remediation. In Green chemistry (pp. 359-373). Elsevier.
  17. Schroeder, P., Anggraeni, K., & Weber, U. (2019). The relevance of circular economy practices to the sustainable development goals. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 23(1), 77-95.
  18. Shah, S. N., Manzoor S. & Asim, M. (2021). Impact of Industrial Pollution on Our Society. Pakistan Journal of Science, 73(1), 222-229
  19. Shanshal, S. A., & Al‐Qazaz, H. K. (2014). Consequences of cement dust exposure on pulmonary function in cement factory workers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 64(3), 192-197.
  20. Shetty, S. S., Deepthi, D., Harshitha, S., Sonkusare, S., Naik, P. B., Kumari N, S., & Madhyastha, H. (2023). Environmental pollutants and their effects on human health. Heliyon, 9(9), e19496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19496
  21. Siddiqua, A., Hahladakis, J. N., & Al-Attiya, W. A. K. (2022). An overview of the environmental pollution and health effects associated with waste landfilling and open dumping. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(39), 58514-58536.
  22. U.S. EPA (2009). Integrated Science Assessment for Particulate Matter (Final Report). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-08/139F.
  23. Ukaogo, P. O., Ewuzie, U., & Onwuka, C. V. (2020). Environmental pollution: Causes, effects, and the remedies. In Microorganisms for Sustainable Environment and Health (pp. 419-429). Elsevier.
  24. United Nation Environmental Protection Agency (2002). Global Mercury Assessment. United Nation Environmental Programme. http://www.unepa.chem.ch/mercury/report.pdf.
  25. Wang, J. & Tang, D. (2023). Air pollution, environmental protection tax and wellbeing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 2599. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032599
  26. World Health Organization. (2010). Children's exposure to mercury compounds. WHO press.
  27. Zhang, G., Ren, Y., Yu, Y., & Zhang, L. (2022). The impact of air pollution on individual subjective wellbeing: evidence from China. Journal of Cleaner Production, 336, 130413.

Most read articles by the same author(s)