Marcus Nkire
Globally, it is no longer news that plastic waste poses huge threat to our ergonomic existence. The damage to the environment is long lasting especially as plastic are difficult to break down.
Some might argue that plastic accumulation is inevitable because it multiplies as human population increases, but without proper disposal, plastic possesses pollutants toxic strong enough to cause harm to plants, humans and animals as well as constitute land, water, and air pollution.
This is where a local dumpsite in the depths of Mabushi area of Abuja heroically plays a part in saving the world. The site, located along Samuel Asebe Street, Mabushi, was willingly donated for the purpose by a good Samaritan in the area, Samuel Asebe himself.
Dirty, stench, raggedy and polluted are some of the words that best describe the area, nevertheless, it is growing ergonomic influence belies its obvious physical shortcomings.
The site is always a beehive of activities for the plastic heroes that buy empty, used and condemned plastic and aluminium materials from collectors all over the country who gather the rubbish to sell. The dumpsite is popular throughout the country ranging from Kaduna, Kano, Katsina states in the north, down to the east in Enugu and Abia states, spanning into Lagos in the west areas where they conduct their businesses.
After buying and assembling, the materials are crushed by a compressing machine, moulded into a square shape and sold at a measurement price of N100 per kilo. As a result of the relatively affordable price, about three to four trucks of merchandise are delivered every week.
Truckloads of plastic and aluminium cans are Transported and sold to recycling plants, plastic industries and beverage companies among others. With nearly 25 tons of plastic sold every month, the site workers stand to rake in sums in the range of N50,000 to N70,000 every month.
Ratified by the local authorities, a rent of N50,000 is mandatorily paid to the office of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) annually. Indeed, living in a landfill environment undoubtedly poses a threat to human health, leaving workers are vulnerable to different forms of illnesses.
With more than 60 per cent of the working population living in the site, the risk of falling into the clutches of deadly diseases such as cholera, Malaria etc remains high.
In deep discussion with the Chairman of the Mabushi dumpsite, Salisu Rabiu, he told Daily Sun that desire to provide for their families is what keeps them persevering in adversity.
“At the end of every year, when the land is free and we are rounding up sales for the year, we contribute and clear the area. It is true that most people who work and sleep here are exposed to sicknesses, but we have no choice, we have to work and provide food for our families,” he said.
With lack of water being the most daunting challenge of workers living in the premises, the made appeals to the government to provide borehole facilities to enhance good living condition and promote work effectiveness.
A worker living within the premises, Ibrahim, while speaking to Daily Sun, also lamented the agony of water supply challenges, stressing: “In this place, although the electricity is not constant, it is good enough. The biggest challenge we face here is the lack of water.
“We are forced to buy water every morning and when we don’t have money we just wash our face, hands and feet only. We are begging the government to please looking into this problem because it possess grave difficulty on us here,” he lamented.