The Effect of Poor Management of Wastes from Rice Mills on Soil and Water in North Central Nigeria: A Case of Lafia Rice Mills, Lafia. Nasarawa State

K.V.F. Fatokun and M.A.A. Alkali¹    

Department of Science, Technology and Mathematics Education, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria ¹Ministry of Agriculture, Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT: This paper concerns with the chemical analysis of the soil and water at the waste dumpsite of the Lafia Rice mills in Nasarawa State, North- Central Nigeria. The rice milling process generates 5,896.8 metric tones of rice waste and 112.98 metric tones of charcoal annually. These volumes of wastes constitute menace and pollute the air, soil and stream due to improper management. The experimental analysis of the soil shows that it is not suitable for crop production because of its high acidity with a PH range of 4.30 and 6.10. The water analysis of the sample taken from the Amba stream gives the following: Colour-210 hazen, Turbidity- 43.5NTU, PH -6.2, Total hardness-52mg/ l, Calcium-15.63mg/lCa2+, Nitrate-0.65mg/l, Iron(Fe)-0.1mg/lFe, Manganese-25.39mg/Mn, Total Solids-280mg/l , Alkalinity-18mg/l, and Presumptive Coliform count-55/org/ml. These results show a high pollution of both the water and the soil within the vicinity of the rice mills. To minimize waste generation, reduce disposal cost and other problems associated with waste disposal and ensures clean and safe environment, waste management strategy advocates reduction, reuse and recycle of waste.

KEYWORDS: Pollution; Rice mill; Water and soil analysis; Wastes management

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