NIDI Industries Limited produces polythene film for packaging. The environmental audit found that the factory generates solid and gaseous wastes and noise during production. While some wastes are recycled, polythene litter has become a major problem in Kano. The audit recommends that NIDI support waste reduction, recycling programs, and develop biodegradable polythene to help solve this issue. Follow-up actions include completing the audit report and implementing an environmental management plan with staff training and inspections.

1. ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT
NIDI INDUSTRIES LIMITED
ALHAJI HUSSAINI STREET DAWAKIN DAKATA INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, KANO
RIYAS.MS
R.NO :RA1812201010005

2. NIDI INDUSTRIES LIMITED
• NIDI Industries limited is a limited liability company registered under the Companies Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
• The main activity of the facility is the production of polythene film for packaging based on the plastic extrusion blown process.
• NIDI industries limited have an installed capacity to produce up to 10,000kg of polythene per day for various uses.
• Production rate is however variable due to changes in demand. It currently has a staff strength 30 workers.
LOCATION OF NIDI INDUSTRIES LIMITED FACTORY
Location of Dawakin Dakata Industrial Estate within Kano metropolis
• Access to the factory is very easy because as the factory is located about 450 meters off- the main Dakota – Bela road via a link road.
• The factory is sited within an area demarcated for medium to small industrial operation.
• There are three main warehouses that make up 90% of the factory buildings.
• The factory administration is based on conventional management of line reporting as shown in figure
ACCOUNTS PERSONAL SALES
M.D

3. SCOPE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT REPORT
The scope of this Audit exercise covers the following:
• Evaluation of the facility‘s existing Environmental management system
• The existing environmental policy and objectives
• Housekeeping and records
• Existing strategies for environmental improvement
• Compliance status with statutory laws and regulations
6 APPROACH AND METHODS OF THE EAR
This environmental audit was undertaken in three phases:
• Pre – audit
• On – site audit
• Post – audit
PRE – AUDIT PHASE
This is the preparation phase of the Audit exercise. It entails:
• Getting management approval and commitment for PREPRA NIG LTD to embark on the audit exercise
Setting overall goals, objectives, and priorities of the audit exercise
• Assembling a team to ensure objectivity and professional competence
• Putting out pre-audit questionnaire to management and key staff of the facility
• Reviewing background and operational information with the management.
• Undertaking initial site visit at the facility
• Reviewing audit plan and arranging logistics.

4. Actions in post audit phase
Collation of information and follow up on outstanding issues
• Evaluation of findings including outcome of material balance and impact evaluation of the facility process on the
environment and human health.
• Preparation of the draft audit report in the approved presentation format
• Circulating draft audit report to management and audit team for comments
• Incorporating or resolving all comments
On site audit phase
• Identify areas to be inspected
• Outline procedures
• Outline schedules
• Identify records and documents to be reviewed during audit
• Review health and safety requirement
• Review how confidential data will be handled

5. AUDIT FINDINGS
• in Kano metropolis as indeed in all Nigeria‘s cities, towns and villages polythene are used in large quantities at the household level for
various services.
• Fundamental in the process of proper understanding of housekeeping practices in any plastic manufacturing facility.
• Today massive volumes of polythene in various types and shapes including bags and sheet waste characterize Kano metropolis.
• It has created a situation where all the major roads of Kano are covered with more polythene than grass.
• they are not disposed of in ways that ensure a clean environment.
• Littering of polythene waste is associated with a number of environmental problems in Kano metropolis most of which are also
common to other cities in Nigeria.
These problems among others comprise:
• Visual pollution that affects sectors such as tourism
• Blockage of gutters and drains as shown in Plate, 1
• Threat to aquatic wildlife and livestock in the event the polythene are mistaken for food and ingested.
• Polythene has been identified with flying toilets. This is a practice in which, due to lack of adequate toilet facilities, people
defecate in polythene which they then throw away.
Drain full of polythene waste in Kano metropolis Polythene Waste Environmental Problems: Causal Chains

6. OBSERVATIONS AND EVALUATION OF GENERAL HOUSE KEEPING
1 Waste Generation from NIDI Industries limited operation
The following are the wastes that are generated from the manufacturing process in NIDI industries limited:
Solid waste
Polythene cuttings, block waste polythene and cartons from packaging
General sweepings
Gaseous waste
Ancillary gas from oil combustion of generators
Noise
Sound from generators and machinery
In addition to the wastes generated from operation, other issues considered for evaluation include level of compliance to
regulations, safety and welfare provision to workers.
IMPACT EVALUATION OF EXISTING HOUSE KEEPING PRACTICE
Solid waste management
• A substantial amount of solid waste mainly of block and damaged polythene and other ancillary and paper from packaging, residue of
various chemical and greases are the major constituents.
• Data indicated that about 300kg of these wastes are generated daily from the operations.
• This is presently recycled where possible and those not recycled are eventually evacuated for disposal.
Cloakroom/Conveniences
There is adequate cloak room
Safety signs
There are no enough safety signs to warn staff and visitors within the factory.
Muster point
There is no muster point
Fire extinguishes
There are sufficient Fire extinguishers within the factory, but clear signs are required.

7. Noise levels
Noise level within identified units of the facility were measured and compared with the NESREA permissible limits are shown in Table:
Noise level in some sections of the NIDI facility
• Most units of the facility is within the limit but the area in the vicinity of the generating room are well above the limit and considering
the presence of workers all the time in the area constitute a risk to the long term health of the workers.
Air Quality
• Air qualities within identified units of the facility were measured as shown in Table, 2.
• Most areas of the facility have emission of gases within the limit but the observed variation not only indicated differences in the levels
of air quality, but also potential problem that require attention especially the area in the vicinity of the generating room.
SITES WITHIN THE FACILITY NOISE LEVEL
NEAR THE GENERATOR HOUSE 130dB
AVERAGE WITHIN THE FACTORY 77dB
NEAR THE OFFICES 48dB
NESREA STANDARD FOR INDUSTRY 90dB
SITES CO N02 S02 H2S CH4
Near the generator 1.42 2.1 0.61 1.17 0.09
Near the offices 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0

8. RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Production process that involves less waste and effective system for managing the waste generate
• Producing less waste from operations involves waste reduction techniques and technologies which normally forms the top of the waste
management hierarchy.
• since there will still be some waste generated even with source reduction, an effective system to manage this waste is also needed.
• sound waste management should follow a hierarchy of Four-Rs, i.e. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recovery of the energy content if not
recyclable before final disposal.
• The waste management hierarchy is to make waste management practices as environmentally sound as possible and it ranks the various
operations according to their environmental or energy benefits.
• Already some aspects of this hierarchy are already in place in NIDI industries limited as existing practices are characterized by prevention, re-
use and recycling in that order
Waste management hierarchy (the inverted pyramid model) Source:
Zero Waste SA (2005

9. Specific Recommendations
• Stop producing polythene less than 10 microns in thickness since bags most responsible for littering are carrier bags of 6 microns, a shift
to 10 microns should be made by NIDI industries limited
• Consumer awareness and anti-littering campaign as part of its corporate social responsibility
• Adhering to voluntary schemes such as a national code of practice for efficient production
• Support for development of an effective polythene recycling system
• Support for development of a managed disposal system to cater for the polythene that will enter the waste stream
• Support research and development on the use of waste plastics to make useful and marketable plastic
products;
• Produce Bio-degradable polythene
FOLLOW UP ACTION PLAN
• Completion and submission of EAR
• Implementation follow up on the management of the EMP
• Provision of adequate safety equipment
• Awareness training for staff
• Quarterly inspection
• Establishment of quality assurance unit

10. CONCLUSION
• It is evident that the polythene once an innovative product has became very dangerous and difficult to deal with on a global scale.
• Action to use polythene and manage its waste requires collective efforts to find a universal solution to the problem.
• It is evident that a consolidated effort is needed to target the polythene problem in order to save our environment, not only for ourselves
but also for future generations.
• There is the need to review the best knowledge of the product coming from the extraction of the raw materials through to processing,
transport, use, re-use and recycling.
• This requires the rethinking of the use of the resources and materials for efficiency and for a reduced environmental impact.