Economics of Butchery Waste Management in Metropolitan Port Harcourt, Nigeria

The study analyzed the status of solid waste management in butcheries and their effects on butchery firms’ productivity. It describes their disposal measures/adequacy; their profitability and firm profit determinants. Primary data were obtained from 30 butcheries within Port Harcourt Metropolis. Using a snowball method, thirty five (35) butcheries were identified out of which thirty (30) were selected in a stratified sampling method to cover the two Local Government areas in Port Harcourt Metropolis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Net Profit, profitability ratios and three functional forms of Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) multiple regression models. The study found that there were three major disposal measures used by the butcheries: burning, composting, incineration and paying waste authorities to dispose the wastes. The butcheries average profit levels ($15,740.08) were high, efficient with estimated Operating Expense Ratio of 0.37 and very viable with a Net Profit Margin of 50%. The cost of waste handling/disposal for the solid wastes was not a significant factor and depicts market failure. However, the socioeconomic attributes of the butchery operators, especially marital status, household size and working experience that directly affect their profits. It was recommended that authorities and stakeholders should levy tasks for environmental management while the authorities should promote the butchery business as a livelihood source, incentivizing the business owners with better infrastructure, building their capacities. Butchery operators should also be trained to help supply farmers with recycled farm wastes to enhance sustainable development.