Effects of tyre burning activities on air quality and human health in scrap collection areas in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria

Tyre burning for metal scrap recovery is a common informal practice in many scrap collection areas of Kano Metropolis, Nigeria, with significant environmental and public health implications. This study assessed the effects of tyre burning activities on air quality and human health in selected scrap collection sites. A cross-sectional field survey design was adopted, combining environmental air quality monitoring and structured questionnaire administration. Air pollutants measured included particulate matter (PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), while 150 respondents comprising scrap workers and nearby residents were selected using purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that concentrations of all measured pollutants exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits, indicating severe air quality degradation in tyre-burning areas. Health analysis showed high prevalence of respiratory and related symptoms including persistent cough (80.0%), eye irritation (72.7%), breathing difficulties (66.0%), headache (58.7%), and chest pain (44.7%). Chi-square analysis indicated a significant relationship between exposure to tyre-burning smoke and respiratory health symptoms (p < 0.05). The study concludes that tyre burning activities significantly deteriorate air quality and pose serious health risks to exposed populations in Kano Metropolis. It recommends strict enforcement of environmental regulations, promotion of safe recycling technologies, public awareness campaigns, and provision of protective measures for scrap workers.