A Comprehensive Review of Atmospheric Air Pollutants Assessment Around Landfill Sites

Abstract

Air pollutants generated as a result of operations of landfill sites pose a threat not only the environment but also to human life. This work focuses on comprehensive review of atmospheric air pollutants around landfill sites with a view of identifying areas where future studies can be conducted. Environmental and health effects of air pollutants within the vicinity of landfill sites and the ways of minimizing the level of the air pollutants were presented. Previous works carried out by scholars for the past two decades were critically examined. Mathematical models for prediction of gaseous pollutants for landfill sites and assessment of human health risk due of inhalation of poisonous gases from landfill sites were discussed. Amongst conclusions made were: (1) Further studies on health impacts of particulate matters (PMs) within the vicinity of landfill sites should focus on low-income countries (LIC) especially in Nigeria which has been perceived as the capital poverty of the world. (2) Developing countries have not been practicing Circular Municipal Solid Waste Management System (CMSW) due to some militating factors hence further works should look into how the militating factors can be surmounted and provide way forward for the implementation of CMSW in developing countries. (3) More works still need to be conducted especially in temperate region to mechanistically explain the positive correlation between PMs and Coronavirus disease. (4) Future works should dive into the cost and economic implications of assessing atmospheric air pollutants within the vicinity of landfill sites for policy making decisions.