Social Lifecycle Impact Assessment of Informal Petroleum Products Retailing in Nigeria

Abstract

Our economic activities have both the desired and undesired environmental and socioeconomic consequences. The severity of impacts varies with stakeholders. Social lifecycle assessment helps us to evaluate how a product or process affect the workers, the consumers, the community, the value chain and the society. Unlicensed retailers buy petroleum products such as petrol, kerosene and diesel in plastic jerry cans when they hear the news of impending strike by petroleum workers or impending price hike. These unlicensed retailers often hoard the products in their homes with the aim of selling them later to the consumer’s exorbitant prices. This study utilizing the 2009 UNEP/SETAC’s social lifecycle assessment (sLCA) guidelines and the associated sLCA methodological sheets evaluated the socioeconomic impacts of illegal petroleum products retailing on the retailers, the consumers and the community. Preliminary results showed that it serves as an alternative employment opportunity. Due to high tendency for fire hazards, it poses health and safety risks to retailers, consumers and the community alike. This study is expected to serve as an eye opener to policy makers, law enforcement agencies and the general public on the need for preventive care against the attendant consequences of informal petroleum products retailing.