Retailers’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices towards Pesticide Waste Disposal and Their Implications on the Environment and Human Health: The Case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Date
2022-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
In Ethiopia, pesticides are widely used for a variety of purposes. These pesticides have wastes which are considered as potentially dangerous chemicals to human health and the environment. The occurrence of contamination and poisoning among humans and the environment is highly reported due to unsafe handling practices and their usage. This is due to insufficient knowledge and unfavorable attitude towards the hazardous risk of pesticide wastes among retailers. Hence, the overall objective of the study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and disposal practices of pesticide retailers found in Addis Ababa city. The data were collected from 85 pesticide retailers which were selected through simple random sampling technique. The data were collected through questionnaires, interview and related literature review. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics tools such as t- test and Pearson chi-square were used. Among the respondents, 80% of them didn’t use the proper methods of pesticide waste. 58.8% of pesticide retailers dispose pesticide wastes in a place which is not given or known by the government. 55.3% of them do not dispose their wastes in unsuitable place. 51.8% of the respondents replied that they don’t dispose according to the instruction labeled on the container. In general we can conclude that there is improper pesticide waste disposal practices among retailers. From 85 retailers only 24 (28.24%) know the risk or hazard of pesticide wastes, but 61 (71.76%) of them, which are the majority, don’t know the hazardous nature of pesticide wastes. 82.35%, 83.53%, 76.47%, and 65.9% of the respondents didn’t know environmental Policies, strategies of pesticide waste management, proclamation of environmental pollution control on hazardous waste, and government regulation on pesticide waste management respectively. more than 50% of the respondents answered that impacts of pesticide waste on land, air and water bodies is weak, medium and no effect. This implies that most of the retailers have no knowledge on the impacts of pesticide wastes on the environment and human health. Only 11.77% of the retailers were not worried about the environment, while 31.76%, 29.41% and 27.06% of the retailers gave sometimes worried, worried and very worried responses respectively. 23.53% and 41.18% of the respondents strongly agree and agree respectively on the harmfulness of pesticide wastes but 9.41% and 14.12% of them strongly disagree and disagree with this issue. On the responsibility of retailers for pesticide management, 43.53% and 28.23% of the respondents strongly agree and agree respectively but, 1.18% and 17.65% of them strongly disagree and disagree respectively. 31.77% and 25.88% of the respondents strongly agree and agree respectively that they upset when they see other retailers disposing pesticide wastes irresponsibly while 8.24% and 22.35% of them strongly disagree and disagree respectively. This implies that significant number of the retailers have positive attitude to protect the environment. Generally, we can conclude that although they have no sufficient knowledge, most of the retailers have positive attitude towards the hazardous risks of pesticide wastes.
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Keywords
Pesticides, knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Disposal, Environment, Human health