A Socio-Economic Evaluation of Waste Polythene Terephthalate (PET) Bottles Generation, Re-Usage and Disposal in Benin Metropolis

Abstract

This study examined the generation, usage, and
disposal of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
bottles in Benin Metropolis from a social-
economic perspective. Questionnaires were
designed and distributed to randomly selected
households and business owners in twenty wards
across the four local government areas (Egor,
Ikpoba-Okha, Ovia North-East, and Oredo) in
the Metropolis. The study revealed that PET
bottles are used daily by most of the people
sampled in the study. Over 79% of the
respondents use between one and three PET
bottles daily, while 9.9% of the respondents use
between 4 and 7 bottles per day for various
purposes and reasons. This indicates a high level
of waste PET bottle generation in the Metropolis.
The study also revealed that though a majority of
the respondents are aware of the environmental
impacts of plastic pollution, only a few of them
are making efforts to combat the impacts. A huge
percentage of the respondents prefer “throwing
away” as a disposal method for waste PET
bottles, accounting for the vast amount of waste
PET bottles in the environment in Benin
Metropolis. This implies a dearth of knowledge
among many residents on the value of waste PET
bottles. Hence, the need for collaborative efforts
among policymakers, industries, and the public
to formulate and implement effective waste
management strategies that will promote
recycling and increase awareness for sustainable
management practices to mitigate the
environmental impacts associated with waste
PET bottle accumulation. Finally, viable
solutions are also recommended for necessary
implementation.