Main Article Content
Abstract
This paper investigated the environmental awareness of operators of SMEs industries in Kano metropolis, Nigeria. A questionnaire survey was undertaken to obtain information on awareness and knowledge of environmental issues such climate change, soil erosion, deforestation, consequences of industrial operation on environment and human health, environmental problems such as degradation and pollution, existing institutions laws for environmental regulation and protection and environmental management practices. Results indicated that 87.3% of the SMEs operators are of the view that they have no role in protecting the environment, only 9.3% of the operators have an idea of climate change, 4.3% know about the causes of soil erosion, 93.3% have no knowledge of the extant environmental protection laws and regulations or the institutions responsible for regulation and 64% are aware of the health impact of their operation as more than 42% have had illnesses attributed to contact with hazardous materials. The results further indicated that the activities of the SMEs release substantial amount of varying waste and workers are engaged without protective clothing with potential risks for serious health hazards. The paper concluded that whilst Nigeria has many agencies and regulations for environmental protection, there is no enforcement on the SMEs sector. The study recommends awareness campaign to educate the operators in the informal SMEs due to the potential for pollution as well as stringent enforcement of the regulations.