ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF ELECTRIC POWER GENERATING SETS IN GLOBAL SYSTEM FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS VILLAGE, LOKOJA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigeria today is referred to as the country with the highest consumers of electric power generating sets 2 globally despite her rich energy sources. Estimate has shown that more than 60 million Nigerians make use of electric power generating sets of varying sizes and capacities mostly in commercial areas. However, these generating sets while in operation produce gaseous emissions and high sound level which pose serious health risk to not only the users but to individuals in the surrounding environment. This research therefore used ATP 901A sound meter, MSA Altair 5X Multi gas detector, PCE-RCM 05 and MSA Altair pro single gas detector to monitor the decibel level, accumulation of carbon monoxide (CO), Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and Particulate matter (PM2.5) in and around the GSM Villages in Lokoja.Results of the above measured gases at Ganaja, kpata and Cantonment GSM Villages showed that PM2.5(262µg/m3), CO (14.4 µg/m3) and SO2 (0.15ppm) at Ganaja and PM2.5 (258µg/m3), CO (18.6 µg/m3) and SO2 (0.16ppm) atKpata and cantonment all exceeded the Federal Ministry of Environment’s standard of 250 µg/m3(PM2.5), 11.4 µg/m3 (CO) and 0.1ppm (SO2).Decibel level of noise at Ganaja GSM Village (90.8 dBA), Kpata and Cantonment (102.4dBA) were also higher than the Federal Ministry of Environment’s (FMEnv) and WHO permissible limits of 55dBA and 70dBA during the day.This study therefore concludes that the incessant use of electric generating sets remain a problem that cannot be overlooked considering the multiplicity of its effects on the workers and residents of the study area.It was therefore recommended that regulatory agencies in the state should see to the enforcement of Polluter Pays Principle at the three locations under study so as to allow the polluters pay for the damages or harm they inflict on the environment via their activities during power outage.