Modelling of air emissions from open burning of municipal waste in Ilorin Metropolis, North Central Nigeria

Increased urbanization and population growth have led to a rise in municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, necessitating the need for improved infrastructure and handling methods. Improper disposal practices, particularly open burning at dumpsites, have become common in emerging urban cities, posing serious environmental and health risks. This study aims at evaluating the pollutants often emitted into the environment during the open burning of solid wastes using the American Meteorological Society/Environmental Protection Agency Regulatory Model (AERMOD) model under three scenarios. The ground-level concentrations of pollutants emitted were compared with the statutory limits of the World Health Organization (WHO) at selected receptor locations. The predicted maximum concentrations from the model for PM2.5 were 4184, 8633, and 10,419 mu g/m3 and for PM10 were 16,481, 20,915, and 23,114 mu g/m3 for scenarios 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The WHO limits of PM2.5 and PM10 were observed to be exceeded from 2500%-17,400% and 312.5%-4200% for scenario three representing the worst-case scenario. Ilorin metropolis was revealed to be the receptor location with the highest impact. Waste-to-energy and other cleaner waste treatment options should be adopted to protect public health and environment.