Integrated Assessment of Plastic Waste Pollution and Its Impacts of Riverine Ecosystems and Livelihoods in Delta State, Nigeria

The polluting nature of plastics has emerged as one of the most significant environmental crises of the twenty-first century, posing dire threats to aquatic ecosystems, biodiversity, and human livelihood, especially in areas characterized by weak governance, such as the Niger Delta. The paper evaluated the level and effects of plastic waste pollution on riverine ecosystems and livelihoods of five communities in the Delta State, including Warri, Patani, Bomadi, Burutu, and Ogbe-Ijaw by applying a mixed-method approach that incorporated surveys (n = 98), field studies, and laboratory water studies that were validated against the WHO (2023) and NSDWQ (2015) standards. Findings revealed that inadequate waste management facilities, a lack of awareness among the population, and insufficient environmental enforcement were the primary concerns regarding improperly discarded plastic (mean = 72.6). Physicochemical measurements, including turbidity (12.65 NTU), BOD5 (4.88 mg/L), COD (22.62 mg/L), lead (0.0245 mg/L), and oil and grease (2.61 mg/L), exceeded the acceptable limits, indicating a high level of ecological contamination and oxygen stress. Findings in the socio-economic sector suggested that the majority of individuals, more than 80%, reported reduced fish production, loss of livelihood, and an increase in health hazards, with these phenomena being interconnected as the environment degrades and people suffer. The findings of the study are that the pollution of plastic wastes in Delta State presents a socio-ecological and health issue of high urgency that worsens the SDGs 3-14, and suggests that further enforcement of the law on the environment, application of computation fluid dynamics (CFD) and human health risk assessment (HHRA) tools, enhancement of community-based recycling programmes, and application of the concept of the circular economy to assemble the broken integrity of riverine ecosystems and achieve sustainable development of the coastline of Nigeria.