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Impact of Poor Municipal Waste Management on Ruminant Livestock
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A study at an abattoir in Maiduguri, Nigeria found that nearly three-quarters of examined cattle had ingested non-biodegradable waste, with plastics (mostly polypropylene and polyethylene) present in 95% of those cases. The findings highlight how poor municipal waste management in African cities allows plastic litter to reach livestock through open grazing, creating both animal welfare concerns and potential food safety issues when contaminated animals enter the human food chain.
Abstract Africa’s growing problem of poor municipal waste management has made roaming population of ruminant livestock on the continent vulnerable to the ingestion of non-digestible solid wastes. Therefore, this study identified and characterized the type of non-biodegradable wastes ingested by cattle that were presented for slaughter at the abattoir, as quick, indirect way of understanding the state and impact of poor solid waste management in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Of the of 151 cattle examined, 111 (73.5%) harbored different types of non-biodegradable solid wastes, in varying combinations of plastics and other materials (e.g., metallic objects, piece of cloth, pebbles, piece of wood, hairballs). Plastics were the most frequently isolated (95.5%) ingested solid waste (ISW), mostly comprised of polypropylene and polyethylene materials. Female animals had more ISW (in weight) than males (median weight 225.0 vs. 66.0g), and were also more discriminate and had higher rate (31.8% vs 15.2%) for ISW such as pieces of foam mattress, mosquito nets, piece of cloth (jeans etc.) and socks. These findings indirectly highlight the deterioration of solid waste management systems and its cumulative impact on ruminant livestock health and consequent economic loss to farmers. Thus, improving waste management is urgently required to improve public health and food security.
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This study examined the prevalence of plastic bag ingestion by ruminant livestock in the urban and peri-urban areas of Dori, Burkina Faso, finding that animals frequently consume discarded plastic bags while foraging on contaminated vegetation. The findings highlight the food chain implications of inadequate plastic waste management in West African cities.
Pathological Impacts Due to The Existence of Plastic Waste in Rumen of Bali Cattle
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Researchers examined 100 Bali cattle slaughtered at traditional abattoirs and found that 9% had plastic waste in their rumens; those animals showed elevated blood lead levels and histopathological damage in liver, kidneys, lungs, spleen, and intestine. The findings raise food-safety concerns because livestock ingesting plastic waste accumulate heavy metals and sustain organ damage that could affect the quality of meat entering human food supply chains.
Exploring Perceptions of Plastic Pollution Amongst Subsistence Livestock Farmers in Subtropical Rural Communities
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In rural South African farming communities, plastic waste piles up in fields because there's no trash collection, and farmers know it's making their livestock sick—but they lack the resources to fix the problem. Since these animals are often part of the food chain, unmanaged plastic pollution in grazing areas could eventually affect the meat and milk people consume, making better rural waste management a public health issue, not just an environmental one. This study shows the solution needs to come from policy and infrastructure changes, not from farmers alone.
Review: Ingestion of terrestrial plastic pollution by free-roaming livestock, including working donkeys: An interdisciplinary assessment — R1/PR6
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Field observations in Kenya showed that free-roaming donkeys and cattle preferentially foraged at waste sites, with 1 in 10–20 ingested items being plastic, highlighting livestock plastic ingestion as a welfare, food safety, and human health concern in low-income settings.
Review: Ingestion of terrestrial plastic pollution by free-roaming livestock, including working donkeys: An interdisciplinary assessment — R0/PR2
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Using behavioral observation and fecal sampling in Kenya, researchers found that donkeys and cattle in areas with poor waste management actively forage at waste sites, with 1 in 10-20 items ingested being plastic. Microplastic concentrations in donkey feces were significantly higher than in farmed cattle, suggesting free-roaming livestock face greater plastic ingestion risk.
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