The need for waste management

As part of strategies to curtail the threat of global warming, the federal government has established different agencies and launched different campaigns in the fight for sustainable environment, yet Nigerians still indulge in indiscriminate dumping of waste, thereby leading to open burning of waste generated, instead of turning them into wealth.The advocacy by different government […]

As part of strategies to curtail the threat of global warming, the federal government has established different agencies and launched different campaigns in the fight for sustainable environment, yet Nigerians still indulge in indiscriminate dumping of waste, thereby leading to open burning of waste generated, instead of turning them into wealth.
The advocacy by different government and private agencies to explore the economic viability of waste in the country as a means of sustaining the country and improving the economy and health of the nation has been ongoing and yet much has not been done about the issue. What we have is rather an issue of collecting waste from one location to another without putting it to any good.
In most societies, there is an overture in solid waste management with shift from just collection and disposal to making viable use of such waste by turning it to wealth. Many economies of the world have benefited from this approach, which has made the environment sustainable, and the degradation reduced.
In Nigeria, turning waste into wealth is rather a cliché as there is no visible achievement. Government institutions, private agencies and stakeholders only pay lips service to the issue of turning waste into wealth.
The Head, Information and Outreach Programme of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Joe Ukairo said: “The FCT Administration has been actively involved in the development of practicable and efficient solid waste management system. This will include the waste-to-wealth programme.
It must be noted that although this programme is essential and in line with global best practices, however, it will be like putting the cart before the horse engaging in such at the moment without basic supporting infrastructure like the solid waste transfer stations and the availability of enough stock (solid waste) to feed a plant of such magnitude.”
While many residents await a modern waste treatment strategy, several dumpsites have turned haven of scavengers who make a living thereof, picking metals, bottles and other recyclables of interest to them.
Solid wastes are disposed through landfill method while in some quarters they are burnt thereby contributing to environment degradation. Abidemi Ayantunji, concerned citizen said the government could take a leaf from other developed economies that have integrated waste management into their system and turning it to a source of revenue instead of a liability.
According to Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu, the National President of the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), the environment in Nigeria today is under serious stress, it is being battered from all angles and because of lack of planning, cities decay is setting in because of waste management problem.
“We have waste management problem which cuts across all our cities. Our consumption and production habits are horrible so it is a crisis. We are not managing waste in Nigeria; we are only transporting waste from point A to B in the name of disposal,” he said.
However, experts have identified the importance of having an effective waste management system in the country. Proper sorting of waste is expected to be done even before dumping by the residents. Sorting of refuse in Abuja is one activity that is left in the hands of scavengers, and the most lucrative parts of the refuse to them is the metals and household appliance, while others are discarded.
For effective waste management, the residents would need to be sensitised on sorting their wastes properly from homes, Philip Dauda said.
For Abubakar Waleed, waste management is not only a problem in Nigeria because the government or agencies are not doing what they should do, but because the problem starts with individuals. He said many people do not know how to sort their waste and engage in indiscriminate dumping.
“For us to turn waste into wealth, we have to do a lot of sensitisation programme and enforce people to change our attitude towards waste dumping.
Mrs. Funmilayo Titilayo, Head Environment Health and Sanitation at the Ministry of Environment, during the flag off of new centenary cleaner environment campaign recently in Abuja, said there is need to sensitise the residents on how best to sort their waste. She advocated for a reward method to resident who can sort their refuse properly, saying that will encourage others to do it.
“In ensuring a cleaner environment, the role of advocacy and sensitisation cannot be overemphasized. It is our hope that this campaign would be sustained so that it will make the necessary impact and indeed form the desired attitudinal change for a cleaner Nigeria,” she said.
Joe Ukairo said solid waste management in the FCT, which is part of sustainable city sanitation programme, is ongoing.
He said it follows, therefore, that the system is equally evolving, especially in the area of the use of adaptable technologies in line with global best practices.
“Most developed and developing societies of the world are tilting towards the use of solid waste as a resource thereby creating wealth out of waste and minimising environmental degradation associated with aging system of open dumping.”
Ukairo noted that for solid waste management to be sustainable there must be a waste management blueprint with medium and long term policies and guidelines. He said it will guide relevant agency of government in the stage-by-stage implementation of adopted solid waste management programme.
Ukairo added that the administration is committed to the construction of three solid waste transfer stations as a prelude to the subsequent construction and commencement of the waste-to-wealth project, perhaps under a PPP arrangement.
“The construction of the three solid waste transfer stations within the city centre is ongoing. The state-of-the-art equipment for the transfer stations are already here,” he said.
Solid waste recycling would not only present a source of revenue but it can also help in the fight against the depletion of the ozone layer. The emission of Green House Gases often resulting from open burning of waste indiscriminately by individuals pollutes the environment aside various environmental hazards.
Matthew Sabo, an environment enthusiast, said waste transfer stations are only found in Lagos, adding that is the reason why there are lots of dumpsites that degrade the environment.
He said the challenges of waste management in Nigeria can be attributed to the wrong attitude of the public, poor planning as a result of lack of will to do the right thing and lack of legal framework and enforcement of existing regulations.
He added that the best thing to do is to get the private public partnership involved in waste collection, sorting and disposal to help facilitate waste management and save the environment from further harm.
The practice of recycling solid waste has, however, been in existence for a long time.
“The commitment of scavengers in picking up scraps from dumpsites and what they do with the picks should tell us about how important recycling is,” says Abdullahi Isah, a scavenger.
He added that the potentials of the waste, if properly managed, will create job opportunities amongst other benefits.
However, experts are of the view that proper waste management will be of socio-economic benefits in terms of provision of jobs, reducing the adverse impact on health and eliminating the adverse effects on the environment through reducing, reusing and recycling.