Public attitude and health consequences of plastic material use in Nigeria

Despite Nigeria's increasing reliance on plastic products, public awareness and policy responses to their significant health risks remain remarkably insufficient. This study examined public attitude and health consequences of plastic material use in Nigeria. A total of 391 participants whose ages ranged from 19 – 71, with the (Mean age of 45.65, SD=13.96), comprising 146(37.3%) males, and 245(62.7%) females were used for the study. A self-developed questionnaire assessing the attitude of respondents on the health consequences plastic material use was employed for data collection. Statistical analysis involved the use of Multiple Linear Regression, Independent T-Test and One-Way Analysis of Variance. The aim of this study was to examine the public attitude towards plastic materials on health implications of plastic materials in Nigeria. Establish interaction between knowledge and attitude towards plastic materials on health implications of plastic materials in Nigeria. Examine the influence of demographic variables on health implications of plastic materials in Nigeria. Findings showed that, there was a significant influence of attitude on the health consequences of the use of plastic materials. Furthermore, a significant sex difference as well as significant difference in education on the health consequences of the use of plastic materials were also found among the participants. Attitude and it dimensions jointly influenced health consequences of plastic material use among the participants when sex, age, marital status and education were controlled. The study recommended among others that, The Nigerian government should establish and enforce regulations mandating that all plastic manufacturing companies affix plastic identification and recycling codes typically represented by arrow-chasing triangles on all containers. To enhance comprehension, these codes should be printed in bold and legible formats. This will facilitate recycling and enhance their safety in usage.