The need to pursue waste recycling in Nigeria

In recent years, indiscriminate disposal of waste has occupied large areas within our vicinities especially in our busy streets and city corners, which causes nuisance to the society. These solid waste dumps which becomes breeding ground for mosquitoes, flies and other types of pests, leading to health hazards has become a common sight. This indiscriminate […]

In recent years, indiscriminate disposal of waste has occupied large areas within our vicinities especially in our busy streets and city corners, which causes nuisance to the society.
These solid waste dumps which becomes breeding ground for mosquitoes, flies and other types of pests, leading to health hazards has become a common sight.
This indiscriminate act of refuse dumping is also done in places like riverbanks, ponds and lakes within our urban and rural communities, which pollutes the water, air and pave way for nesting of various kinds of diseases like cholera, typhoid and other types of waterborne diseases that are harmful to human beings.
 The inhabitation of these refuse along the road which results to traffic congestion, unsightliness, unpleasantness and blockage of drainages therefore calls for efficient waste management practice in Nigeria.
However government has been putting measures to curb the situation but it is obvious that measures put in place to take waste out of our homes and on the roads have not yielded much results. With the sight of refuse dumps by the road side clearly shows careless attitude of residents in disposing waste, depicts neglect and less effectiveness of the proactive measures to curb indiscriminate waste disposal.
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 good use as proposed by all.
 In most society, there is an approach in solid waste management with shift from just collection and disposal to making viable use of such hitherto waste by creating it to wealth. Even though waste management is not uniform among countries but many economies of the world have benefited from this approach, which has made the environment sustainable and the degradation reduced.
In Nigeria, turning waste to wealth is rather a cliché as there is no visible attendant feat in the regards. Government institutions, private agencies and stakeholders somewhat pay lips service to it hence the bane of it not implemented.
It is therefore that the issue of waste management should be taken serious considering the numerous benefits that will be generated from the act.
Experts are of the view that proper waste management will be of benefits to the economy, that is to improve the economic efficiency and provision of jobs.  Social benefits by reducing the adverse impact on health and for environment benefits, proper waste management will eliminate adverse impact on the environment through reducing, reusing and recycling.
It is my opinion that there is need for Nigeria as a country to explore this economic opportunity to increase its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by utilizing this sector to enhance and reduce the menace of unemployment that is bedeviling our labour force and to live in clean and healthy environment.
 Kunda contributed this article from the Department of mass communication, University of Maiduguri