ABSTRACT

This study assessed  the Environmental  Impacts  of  Asphalt  Plant  Emission  in Three selected areas in Akwa Ibom State. The areas were Amitex Asphalt Plant at Oron (APOR) in Oron Local Government Area. Basse Engineering Asphalt Plant at Idoro (APID) in Uyo Local Government Area and Julius Berger Asphalt Plant at Itam (APIT) in Itu Local Government Area. The objectives were to assess asphalt plant emissions on the air quality, soil, vegetation, water quality, health and socio-economic of people and the levels of compliance of asphalt plant companies to the provisions of the Environmental Laws. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources. The primary data involved field observation, questionnaire and interview, air, soil, vegetation and water samples. While secondary data were obtained from published and unpublished sources. Survey and Environmental Performance Evaluation approaches were adopted in this study. Three Hundred questionnaires were administered to respondents from the three study areas to obtain information for health and socio-economic status of the people, while Environmental Performance Evaluation approach involved data collection and analysis for air, soil, vegetation and water sample were collected at asphalt plant environment (APE) 0.1km and 0.6km away from asphalt plant and control group 6.0km away from asphalt plant. Samples were subjected to laboratory analysis for physico-chemical properties except that of air that was insitu. Descriptive and Inferential Statistic (ANOVA, Pearsons Product Moment Correlation and Factor Analysis) were used for answering the research questions and testing of hypotheses at 0.05 level of probability. The results revealed high concentration of toxic gases and particulate matters in the air of APE and high concentration of heavy metals and total hydrocarbon (THC) in the soil, plant leaves and rain water of APE than the control site. Air Quality Index revealed 147.76(severe polluted air) and 94.70(heavy polluted air) in wet season at the APE and control whereas the dry season showed 248.31 and 162.17(severe polluted air) at both APE and control sites. The soil fertility rating revealed the pH of slightly acidic (5.5-6.5) at both APE and control except APE of ASO1 that had acidic (4.5-5.5). The available phosphorus was generally very high ( > 20) at both APE and control site while the Exchangeable Cations were all very low(0.12-0.2) indicating low fertility status of the soil. Water quality index revealed 30.24 – 33.00(good water quality) and 20.34(excellent water quality) in wet season at APE and control site, while the dry season showed 78.23 – 77.85(very poor water quality) and 68.06(poor water quality) at APE and control site. Though most of these pollutants measured were below permissible limit, long term accumulation in the environment could be dangerous to man and its environment. Survey reports revealed positive and negative impacts of operation of asphalt plant to the health and socio-economic status of the people, whereas non compliance of asphalt plant companies with the provisions of Environmental Laws was also observed due to lack of monitoring and poor implementation by the Regulatory bodies. Therefore, there is need for appraisal and practical approach to harness the production of asphalt for sustainable development, through the use of “Best Available Techniques” production and proper implementation and enforcement of environmental Laws.