Effects of Environmental Pollution in Liberia: A Case Study of Montserrado (Republic of Liberia)

Environmental pollution is reaching worrying proportions worldwide. Urbanization, industrialization, and economic growth have increased energy consumption and waste discharges. Greenhouse gas emissions and acid deposition, including water pollution and waste management, are globally considered to be of public health significance (Kelishadi, 2012). Clean air is an essential human right and an important element of public health and environmental sustainability. In 2017, charcoal consumption in the residential sector contributed 48% of total black carbon emissions in Liberia, followed by residential wood consumption, which contributed 34%. In the commercial sector, charcoal consumption contributed 3% to the total black carbon emissions. Wood combustion in food production contributed to 7% of total national emissions in the industrial sector (Gomah, 2024). Environmental pollution has several adverse health effects, including infant mortality, respiratory disorders, perinatal disorders, an increase in oxidative stress, mental disorders, and cardiovascular disorders (Rahman et al., 2021). Non-communicable diseases continue to increase in Sub-Saharan Africa due to environmental conditions such as heavy metals and air pollution, which have been linked with the incidence and mortality of chronic diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases (Anyanwu et al., 2024). However, managing environmental pollution is still a significant challenge in Liberia. Investigating the effects of environmental pollution in Liberia is a significant emergency.

BACKGROUND:

Environmental pollution is not a discovery; it continues to present as the greatest problem that humanity faces and the leading factor contributing to morbidity and mortality (Ukaogo et al., 2020) and is a wide-reaching predicament that is likely to influence human and population health (Khan & Ghouri, 2011).

Environmental pollution is an undesirable modification in the biological, physical, and chemical characteristics of water, air, and land that may harmfully affect human life or any other desirable species, industrial processes, living conditions, or cultural assets. Man's quest to build the environment and the increased scale of human activity has laid the basis for pollution (Singer, 1970). Contacts to environmental pollution remain a major source of health risk globally. Developing countries pose a higher risk due to weak environmental legislation, lack of investment in modern technology, and poverty, which increase pollution levels (Briggs, 2003a). According to Zandalinas et al. (2021), Climate change, global warming, and industrial pollution could increase the frequency, intensity, and complexity of multifactorial stress combinations impacting soils, plants, and microbial communities (Zandalinas et al. 2021). The effects of pollution in developing countries cannot be overemphasized, as it has taken on a worldwide dimension. Currently, pollution is restricted to humans and has long-term effects on the soil, vegetation, and animals. This statement has created the urgency for awareness among the cross-section of society of the hazards posed by pollution and a need for the all-inclusive development and enforcement of appropriate policies to prevent it (Babayemi et al., 2016). Inappropriate waste management is increasing daily in Liberia due to a shortage of inclusive frameworks for waste management. The absence of guidelines detailing the responsibilities of those generating waste and the limitation of the decision maker's intention to design and implement integrated systems to manage waste sustainably is exacerbating the already inflamed situation (David et al., 2020a). Liberia is a developing country that is faced with significant challenges in its energy sector, with limited access to electricity and substantial reliance on traditional biomass. In 2019+, Liberia had access to 3% of electricity and was among the lowest globally. Traditional biomass use poses indoor air pollution risks, especially for women and children (Yusuf et al., 2024). Out-of-door air pollution is an essential contributor to indoor air pollution. A complex mixture of solid particles called particulate air pollution and liquid droplets is found in the air. The particles can originate from different sources like smoke stacks, diesel exhaust, and construction, causing inflammatory effects both locally and on the body (Redlich, et al., 2023) Recently, several attempts have been made to assess the burden of diseases caused by environmental pollution, either in terms of disability-adjusted life or mortality. However, it is estimated that 8-9% of the total universal disease burden may be attributed to pollution, but considerably more so in developing countries with poor sanitation, unsafe water, and poor hygiene practices (Briggs, 2003b). According to the United Nations Environment Programme (2025), Environmental contamination adversely contributes to non-infectious diseases like cancer and respiratory illnesses, causing approximately nine million deaths annually. It is essential to know that air pollution alone is responsible for nearly seven million deaths (Environment, 2024). Soil pollution is a major and developing threat to human health due to its vulnerability to being polluted by organic chemicals and heavy metals. It supports critical ecological services and diverse ecosystems. Moreover, it stores water, prevents floods, captures carbon, and slows global climate change. We need healthy soil to grow crops for food consumption to sustain the growing population, which is fundamental to human and animal health (Münzel et al., 2022). Indoor air pollution accounts for approximately 3.8 million inopportune deaths annually globally. Due to spending more time indoors, children and older adults are mainly susceptible to the health risks of indoor air pollution (Ndlovu & Nkeh-Chungag, 2024). The impact of mortality-risk classification on various healthcare expenditures is significant (Li et al., 2020). According to the "State of the Air" (2024) report, 39% of the people living in America, approximately 131.2 million people, still live in places with failing grades for unhealthy ozone or particle pollution levels. This report shows an additional 11.7 million people breathing unhealthy air compared to the 2023 reports (ALA, 2024). Solid waste management protocols and system dynamic modelling support policy development as it use waste prevention to explain the complex waste management systems and suggests methods for effective management. However, creating an effective waste system goes beyond formulating policies and legislation (David et al., 2020b). Liberia faces enormous challenges and growing anxieties regarding the inadequacies of its waste management activities (ICAT, 2002). As a result, investigating the effects of environmental pollution and implementing strategies to mitigate its impact is an urgent priority for the country. This background raises lots of questions that need to be addressed. Paramount amongst those questions include examining the economic consequences of environmental pollution, identifying the vulnerable populations most affected by environmental pollution, the causes of the effects, and helping minimize the effects.

General Objective:

This research aims to address the effects of environmental pollution on public health in Liberia.

Specifically, the research will consider:

1. Examining the economic consequences of environmental pollution
2. Identifying the vulnerable populations most affected by environmental pollution, including children, older people, and those living in poverty
3. Recommending ways to minimize the effects of environmental pollution

REVIEW OF EXISTING LITERATURE

Economic consequences of environmental pollution

Air pollution is a persistent environmental issue that significantly impacts public health and ecology. It can also cause long-term damage to economic growth, development, and human welfare. Since the effects of air pollution on the economy are multifaceted, they can substantially damage productivity and decrease quality of life (Airly, 2025). There is a cross-disciplinary link between the climate change crisis, air pollution, and sustainable lifestyle, as they are the most complex struggles of this 21st century (Afifa et al., 2024). The twenty-first century realized the corporate world that environmental stability is an important factor for sustainable growth (Bari et al., 2022). Environmental procedures raise production costs at controlled levels where, at times, case costs are just a small proportion of the firm's total costs (Gray, 2015) One of the major effects of environmental pollution history is the Deep-Water Horizon oil spill in the United States, which was of national importance in the United States history and significantly impacted the health of Gulf of Mexico communities (Sandifer et al., 2021).

The population is affected mainly by environmental factors.

Children, older adults, and the poor are globally vulnerable to environmental pollution (Sheffield & Landrigan, 2011). Education and awareness are important in addressing the impact of environmental pollution on population health (Ramírez et al., 2019). Environmental supremacy is related to the healthy living average of human beings and the sustainable development of an economic society (Vogel et al., 2021). It is of great significance to explore the inspiration of government trust and environmental pollution perception on environmental governance satisfaction to improve the performance of government environmental governance (Ruan et al., 2022) According to Rentschler and Leonova (2023), 7.3 billion people face air pollution levels that are considered unsafe globally by the World Health Organization, increasing mortality rates by 4 percent compared to safe areas. 6.2 billion are directly exposed to at least moderate air pollution levels, which increases mortality risk by 8 percent, and 2.8 billion are exposed to hazardous pollution levels, which increases mortality risk by 24 percent (Rentschler & Leonova, 2023a). All age groups are affected by pollution in Liberia, but women are disproportionately affected for many reasons. People who rely on the rivers in Liberia adversely suffer whenever the rivers and water bodies are polluted (Nigba, 2023). About 70% of women are among the people in poverty. This implies that women are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than men. Women in developing countries are usually responsible for collecting food, fuel, and water. This is because climate change affects the accessibility of resources (Blake, 2024)

Reducing the effects of environmental pollution

Preventing pollution is reducing, eliminating, or controlling it before it forms (US EPA, 2013). Reducing pollution is possible; it is being done at an intergovernmental level, for example, with the many climate summits, despite sluggishness and uncertainty (UN, 2024). Addressing various factors, including air pollution in our neighborhoods and homes, can prevent pollution. Avoiding backyard fires, auto body shops, and emissions from vehicles and construction equipment are among the measures to consider (MPCA, 2022).

 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:

The quantitative research was designed to investigate the effects of environmental pollution. The quantitative methods provide statistical evidence on the impact of environmental pollution (College, 2017). We considered the 2022 National Census report, which puts Montserrado County at a population of 1,920,914, using Slovins's formula. When sampling a population, this formula calculates the necessary sample size to achieve a given confidence interval. The researcher uses a confidence level of 95%.

n=N1+Ne2

n is equal to the sample size

N is equal to the total population and

e is the margin of error

n=1,920,9141+1,920,914 x 0.052

n=1,920,9141+1,920,914 x  0.0025

n=1,920,9141+4802.285

n=1,920,9144803.285

n=399.9≅400

n=400

During the data collection, the researcher collected data from an additional five (5), increasing the sample size to 405. This excess is good because the larger the sample size, the more accurate the research findings. The Google form was used for data collection, while SPSS was used to analyze the data collected.

RESULTS

Table 1: Sex of the Respondents

Field data 2024-2025

Of four hundred and five respondents, 183 were males, constituting 45.2%, while 217 were females, constituting 53.6%; however, five persons 1.2% preferred not to disclose their genders.