Building collapse generates waste in form of debris like concrete, metals, wood, asbestos and lead, etc., which pose serious environmental hazards. Such a situation, is capable of affecting man and his livelihood. Unfortunately, building collapse debris management could overwhelm local waste systems, resulting in improper disposal practices, groundwater contamination that negatively impacts the social and economic environment. This study determined the social and economic impacts of waste generated from building collapse in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Employing purposive sampling technique, Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Ikwo, Ezza-South, Afikpo and Ohaozara Local Government Areas were selected due to their high incidence of building collapses. A descriptive survey research design was used, hence questionnaire based on 4-point Likert scale was administered to 390 respondents determined by the Taro Yamane formula. The data was analyzed using principal component of factor analysis and the null hypotheses were tested with F-test and Bartlet's test of sphericity. Results revealed that the social and economic environment were adversely affected as revealed by Bartlett's Tests of Sphericity (15701.591 and (8758, 293), respectively. The study therefore recommended a comprehensive waste management and remediation strategy tailored specifically for handling construction debris and hazardous materials, to be developed and implemented by the Ministry of Environment.
Irem et al. (Sat,) studied this question.