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Tag: waste

  • Waste: Yaba LCDA launches Environmental Monitoring Corps

    The Yaba Local Council Development Authority (LCDA) yesterday inaugurated the Environmental Monitoring Corps to enforce compliance with Lagos State environmental laws.

    The LCDA Chairman, Kayode Adejare Omiyale, said the Environmental Monitoring Corps will apply the law strictly, without fair or favour.

    Omiyale spoke at the council headquarters in Yaba.

    He added: “Our environment is a clear reflection of who we are as a people, it also determines how we are viewed by others in terms of internal and external hygiene.

    “We are complimenting the efforts of the state government. We are interested in how our people manage their waste.

    “Henceforth, whoever is caught dropping refuse at undesignated places will be made to face the music. Yaba LCDA is considered the cleanliness council in Lagos. It is our determination to maintain the standard so far attained and surpass it as time goes by.

    “These corps members will ensure that the residents obey all environmental sanitation laws.”

    Omiyale, hours later, presented free exercise books to pupils in 31 public primary schools in the Council.

    According to him, it was part of efforts to improve the academic wellbeing of pupils in the council.

    Omiyale said: “This administration will never allow any of our pupils drop out of school because of his or her inability to own exercise books to carry out the necessary assignments in the schools.

    “During the electioneering, we assured the residents that we shall improve their wellbeing and encourage learning among the children. Our gathering here is to bring the promise to fruition.

    “I wish to use this medium to warn our children to stay away from cultism, hooliganism, truancy and other vices.

    “Let me also thank our teachers for their dedication to duty, your efforts are unto eternity. Teachers’ rewards are now on earth.”

    Dignitaries at the event included a former Chief Whip of the House of Representative, Hon. Wale Oshun; a former Chairman of Old Mainland Local Government, Otunba Tayo Oyemade; the member representing Lagos Mainland I Hon. Adekaiye  (LADO); Council Manager Dr. Kemi Tunde Adefowokan and other distinguished All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders.

  • Improper waste disposal: A threat to our survival

    Waste disposal has become like the proverbial one-eyed monster that continues to bedevil and threatens to maraud us of our priciest possession – our health.

    The earth and its natural processes of growth, regeneration and sustenance of all living matter are considered to be a delicate system. Its sustenance and continued function is the collaborative responsibility of all and sundry.

    However, this tiny rock we call earth is bedeviled with severe environmental issues facing it.

    As a result of mostly human devices, mother earth has depleted causing the species that inhabit it to suffer.

    The earth as we know it is made up of four major components: Air, Water, Soil and rocks.

    Since humans, plants and animals all rely predominantly on water and air for their survival, the issues of contaminating the earth seems to be a very serious problem which needs to be looked into.

    According to freedictionary, waste disposal is the removing and destroying or storing damaged, used or other unwanted domestic, agricultural or industrial products and substances.

    Disposal includes burning, burial at landfill sites or at sea, and recycling.

    In Nigeria, managing waste disposal has become a major concern despite several attempts by successive governments and even private organisations in that direction.

    That is why it is common to see heaps of festering waste dumps in almost every nooks and cranny of the country.

    These heaps of refuse could be found in apartments, highways, markets, streets; also some underdeveloped plot of lands have been turned to dumping sites for many household.

    To give a little historical narrative, in ancient cities, wastes were thrown onto unpaved streets and roadways, where they were left to accumulate. It was in Athens around 320 B.C that the first known law forbidding this practice was established.

    At that time, a system for waste removal was introduced in Greece and into other dominated cities of Greek.

    In Rome, property owners were responsible for cleaning the streets fronting their property, also an organised waste collection was associated only with state sponsored events like parade.

    Disposal methods were crude involving open pits located just outside the city walls. As populations increased efforts were made to transport waste farther from the cities.

    See below some of the factors responsible for poor waste disposal management:

    1. Lack of adequate funding by the government:

    This is as a result of lack of adequate funding by government to provide the much needed equipment and facilities needed for the eradication of this wastes which serve as a threat to human life.

    1. Over population:

    When the population of any municipal is more than the existing facilities, there is bound to be struggles with waste management.

    1. Human Resources:

    Human resources is the total number of able and capable working population who are skilled enough to carry out their organization responsibilities.

    Therefore, a dearth in workers skilled in the management of waste could portend grave environmental consequences.

    1. Wrong attitude of the public towards waste disposal:

    This is as a result of individuals, especially residents of a community not adhering to laid down regulations regarding dumping of their waste.

    The effects of improper waste disposal cannot be overlooked as it has proven to have more dangerous consequences on human health.

    Recent studies conducted have shown that out of the millions of tonnes of waste generated in Nigeria annually, a large percentage of this waste is not properly disposed.

    Unfortunately, this practice has been identified as one of the main causes of pollution and it is becoming a growing concern for both government and environmentalists as it poses serious threats to health.

    One of the effects of improper waste disposal is contamination of water. This can have adverse effect on human health as research has proven for it to be the cause of several diseases leading to death in some cases.

    For instance when water is contaminated with foreign substance its chemical composition changes which makes it harmful to use causing diseases like cholera, dysentery etc.

    Another effect of improper waste disposal is soil contamination which occurs when hazardous chemicals come in contact with the soil. These chemicals are absorbed by plants which are later utilized by other organisms including humans which can cause several health challenges.

    Improper waste disposal can also interfere with supply as plant growth is impaired reducing the amount of food produced.

    The society can become healthy for us to live in if only we take care of our environment properly and this can be achieved by ensuring that refuse are disposed properly and far away from the environment we live in so as to avoid contamination of all kinds of disease.

  • Kenya, Ghana seek Visionscape partnership on waste

    Environmental utility firm Visionscape recently engaged by the Lagos State Government for refuse collection, has got offers from Kenya and Ghana for partnership in waste management and power generation.

    It was learnt that the firm performance  in the United Kingdom, Belgium and Dubai, recommended the firm for consideration.

    Directors of the firm have held series of meetings with Ghanaian officials led by the minister of environment in Lagos and Dubai while Governor Mike Mbuyi Sonko of Nairobi, Kenya expressed his preference for the presentation made on behalf of Visionscape by GIL Capital.

    A detailed presentation, source said, will be made later on the governor’s request in his quest for a one-stop shop management solution to waste in the Kenyan capital.

    The Lagos State Government signed a contract with Visionscape with the responsibility of residential collection of waste.

    Private Sector Participants (PSP) operators were given the responsibility for evacuation of waste generated from commercial areas. The PSPs which also wanted to retain residential collection of waste, however, withdrew their services in protest and went to court.

    Recently all the parties in the crisis agreed to an amicable resolution. The court last week gave parties a two-week ultimatum to resolve the issues.

  • Waste: PSP Operators fault aggrieved members

    The Concerned Stakeholders of Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWMN) yesterday condemned a statement credited to an aggrieved group within the association faulting the resolve to work with the Lagos State Government and an environmental utility group, Visionscape Sanitation Solutions to ensure cleaner and healthier environment.

    The aggrieved group, in a statement by its Chairman, Oladipo Egbeyemi, had distanced itself from the agreement to work with the government to rid the state of filth adorning major streets and highways, describing the resolution as misleading and untrue.

    Responding, the concerned stakeholders, in a statement signed on their behalf by Kasumu Afis Olasehinde of Gafista Concepts Limited, said the statement by the aggrieved stakeholders was not only in bad taste but had shown them to care less about the interest of Lagosians.

    The stakeholders comprising of 48 Private Sector Participant (PSP) operators in waste management, said their resolve to work with the government to ensure the success of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) was borne out of the genuine desire to protect the environment and prevent outbreak of any epidemic in the state considering the resurgence of refuse in public places.

    According to the statement, “This kind gesture was warmly received and accepted by the Government, but to the surprise of many, a group believed to be aggrieved from AWMN, has come out to disown us for offering a helping hand, you must ask why? Are they angry with progress? Are they people-oriented at all? Is this challenge a thing of pride and ego to them or service to the people?

    “We have been rendering unequalled outstanding waste management service to Lagosians for decades and it is the state of things that necessitated our group’s initiative to offer help and also collaborate with Visionscape. The Visionscape group sees us as partners who will learn a lot from each other and they are willing to collaborate with us to make Lagos clean.

    “We also state that the wellbeing of Lagosians is utmost in our mind, and as we approach the raining season, we cannot just watch but also intervene to avoid epidemic, which is what the aggrieved group does not care about.

    “We can’t afford to let the initiative fail, because if it does, we will also be considered as failure, hence a need to take responsibility to render service whether paid or unpaid; laudable to say the least and quite commendable and any progressive would agree with my group,” Olasehinde said.

    While describing change as inevitable, Olasehinde said it was surprising that some people who in the past had benefited from change were working against progressive change, and also attempting to discourage those who were genuinely willing to help government in the best interest of the people.

    “Change is inevitable, other aggrieved operators can collaborate to deliver service with Visionscape without making drama out of it. It should be a collective joy to see people of Lagos living in comfort; you don’t wish failure on a vendor because you feel you can do better, and finally, it is unruly to attempt to pour cold water on the bravery and courage of the noble men who tried to swallow hurts and offer help. If we all contribute something, Lagos will work for us all by default,” he said.

  • Resurgence of waste will soon be over, Ambode assures

    Resurgence of waste will soon be over, Ambode assures

    •Inaugurates new board of environmental sanitation corps

    The resurgence of waste on major highways and streets of Lagos will soon be over Governor Akinwunmi Ambode assured yesterday.

    He said the government was working round the clock to tackle the menace.

    Ambode spoke after inaugurating the new board of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) to be headed by a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police as Corps Marshal, Daniel Isiofia.

    The governor said the new waste management policy of government encapsulated in the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) was designed to holistically address the challenges in the sector.

    He said adequate officials of LAGESC transformed from the former Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) have been employed to police all nooks and crannies of the State to curb indiscriminate dumping of waste and other acts inimical to clean, hygienic and sustainable environment.

    Ambode, who was represented at the inauguration by his Special Adviser on Education, Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said concerted efforts were ongoing to clear the heaps of refuse across the metropolis.

    He assured there would be marked improvement in coming days. He said: “We are all living witnesses to the restructuring we are trying to do in the environmental sector.

    “That restructuring culminated in the introduction of CLI which is focused at ensuring that the way we clean Lagos is comparable to what is being done in first class cities in the world.

    “As a result, we are changing the way environment in Lagos is being managed and to help us to achieve that, this Sanitation Corp is important.

    “But more importantly now is to speak to the fact that yes, we are having some challenges in the area of waste management in Lagos today.

    “We all live in Lagos but I want to reaffirm that we are doing everything to ensure that this becomes a thing of the past.”

    The Governor, who recalled similar challenges in the State in 1999 under the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, expressed optimism in the workability of the new initiative, saying that the challenges with the teething stages would soon be over.

    “Let me assure the people that in the coming weeks, there will be improvement.

    “We are already witnessing a high-level of improvement; we promise that throughout this week and throughout next week, people will see a marked improvement in our State as more equipment come in to the country and we are able to deploy the equipment accordingly.”

     

  • Lagos launches waste full-scale war on indiscriminate disposal

    Lagos launches waste full-scale war on indiscriminate disposal

    The Lagos State Government has launched a full-scale war on indiscriminate disposal of waste by warning that anyone caught violating environmental laws within the state will face the full wrath of the law.

    The state’s Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, made the declaration at an interactive session with media men in Lagos during the week.

    Adejare spoke against the backdrop of the worsening situation where some Lagos residents have formed the habit of dumping waste at illegal spots, thereby sabotaging on-going efforts to rid Lagos State of filth.

    He noted with concern that soon after littered black spots and illegal dumping sites were cleared, some residents would return and dump waste at the same spots. He admonished residents to use approved and legitimate dumping sites to dispose their refuse to avoid arrest and prosecution.

    “The Cleaner Lagos Initiative was borne out of the need for Lagos to employ the operating standards adopted by other countries in the area of waste management. With the introduction of the CLI, we have launched a full-scale war on improper waste management within the state. The CLI is the solution to the recurring complaints about the manner waste is disposed within the state. I have no doubt that it will be a huge success when we roll it out fully by next year,” said the commissioner.

    Taking a cue from Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who advised Lagos residents during his budget presentation speech to pay their Public Utility Levy (PUL), Adejare stated that the PUL is a consolidated fee replacing former waste charges collected by the government from property owners and residents, positing that the new policy would help in optimising efficiency in the waste management process. He enjoined Lagosians to pay their bills promptly.

    On the dispute between Private Sector Participants (PSPs) and the Lagos State Government, Adejare said the PSPs lack the capacity to handle the over 10,000 metric tonnes of waste generated in Lagos daily in an effective and scientific manner, adding that Lagosians would see the impact of the new arrangement when it becomes fully implemented. He added that Governor Ambode has mandated officials of the state to ensure that the PSPs were accommodated in the Cleaner Lagos Initiative, believing that indigenous operators must play a part in the process.

     

  • ‘Waste to be converted to energy’

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has expressed willingness to turn the heaps of waste in the territory into energy that could be utilised by governments, corporate bodies and individuals in Abuja.

    This position was made known at the presentation of a feasibility study by by a renewable power generation firm to the management team of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB).

    Addressing the meeting, CEO of Galacom, Mr. Caputo Maurizion disclosed that the presentation was in conformity with the Minister’s directive that a feasibility study be conducted to determine its workability in the FCT.

    The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello welcomed the proposal, saying, “The Administration will kill two birds with one stone”.  He said he hoped that the initiative would ensure stable power supply in addition to solving the issue of waste which blocks drainages in the territory, leading to flooding.

    He said, “Nigeria’s renewable energy potential was huge”, the CEO added that there was already more than enough waste in the Federal Capital City alone that could be transformed into “green and clean energy devoid of environmental devastation” that could serve the whole city and environs.

    Explaining that the plant was a modular plant new technology, which uses ecogasgenerator to generate energy, he revealed that it would cost the Administration 4.7 million Euros for the one of 7.2MW, while that of 72MW costs 40 million Euros, adding they are pre-assembled in Italy. These figures, he said is for transportation and installation of the plants

    He also hinted that it was not good investment to buy generator sets to power street lights in the city because of the escalating cost of diesel which they rely on , as well as their health hazards.

    The Italian-Nigerian also suggested reliable means of funding the project to the Minister, saying that the FCTA could to take advantage of special intervention fund laying phalough at the CBN, and a similar facility with the EU, with only the condition that it would be offered green bond. He promised to help introduce the FCTA to the EU to access the funds and prosecute this laudable project for the benefit of all Nigerians.

    Representative of the Director, AEPB and Head, Environmental Health and Safety, Mrs. Kate Ogbonna who expressed gratitude for the presentation, added that the FCT Minister would be properly briefed after which, he would take a final decision on next line of action.

     

  • A second life for waste

    Just like nature creates a beautiful butterfly from an ordinary caterpillar, the pioneers behind the project “Papillon” morph unwanted items into something beautiful and useful.

    A group of young student-volunteers are working together for one very noble goal – to decrease the pressure of excessive waste on nature and reduce the pollution of the environment.

    Creative thinking is the main component of the project, which is centred on repurposing unwanted items in an environmentally responsible manner. The Papillon team’s inventive approach helps turn waste into colorful and attractive interior decorations and accessories for houses, restaurants and cafes. They are the first in Azerbaijan to engage in this process.

    The idea of founding such a company occurred to four students while they were taking part in a Bootcamp training session organized by Tekhnopark of Azerbaijan’s Social Innovation Lab. The participants had been asked to come up with a solution to address one of the main problems of the modern world – pollution.

    The concept was warmly welcomed at the competition and claimed second place at the Bootcamp, thus encouraging the Papillon team to open their own business.

    “Through our work we are meeting the demand of people for innovation and unordinary ideas,” they said.

    Recycling in Azerbaijan is only at the beginning of its development. Citizens do not currently sort their household waste. A big step forward in the sphere of recycling was taken with the opening of a plant for sorting solid household waste in Balakhani in 2012, with a capacity of 200,000 tons per year. However, only 20 percent of waste is recycled at the plant. After the separation of recyclable materials, the remaining mass is sent to a plant in Baku for incineration.

    Papillon aims to tackle waste at the source. “We are giving waste materials a second life, thus making them useful again. At the same time, in the future we plan to design homes, restaurants, cafes and other facilities,” the team explained.

    Papillon’s products are currently sold to individuals, companies and restaurants. Sales are usually made by featuring samples at exhibitions, or through an online network.

    The team said that despite the project having only launched this January, the company has already sold more than 50 samples of their goods and they predict further growth of demand for their products.

    The idea is to re-design salvaged objects using ornaments and decor. Participants in the project collect bottles, planks, old clothes and textiles from their friends or bring them from their own homes and then embellish them with colored threads and various fancy articles.

    “In this way we receive material from which we will manufacture our products, while unnecessary products will not be discarded and pollute nature,” the team noted.

    The first products were sold immediately. After strengthening their presence on the market, the company plans to buy up unnecessary items from ordinary people for a certain amount, with the aim of widening the scope of their business.

    The team is also gathering volunteers from among students, who are taught the heart and methods of the upcycling process. Volunteers get to devote their spare time to a good cause and gain a chance of becoming potential employees of this design company, which is at an early stage of development.

    Alongside making sales, an exhibition held in April gave the company the chance to showcase itself and recruit a certain audience.

    The future looks promising. Recently Papillon won the second place in Azerbaijan’s “Youth in Business” competition.

     

  • Oyo terminates contract with waste contractors

    Oyo State government has said its contracts with private waste contractors were terminated with effect from May 5.

    It said the Oyo State Waste Management Authority (OYOWMA) is responsible for collecting waste in line with its commitment to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment.

    The government said it commissioned WestAfricaENRG, a leading environmental solution company, to manage OYOWMA and take care of its operational and legal duties.

    Information, Culture and Tourism Commissioner Toye Arulogun said the management of OYOWMA was changed under the Public Private Partnership Laws, adding that the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources would play a role in the regulation and oversight functions of solid waste disposal issues as well as other duties.

    He said WestAfricaENRG would re-organisetion of waste collection, processing and disposal, starting with the upgrading and capacity building of waste collection contractors.

    “This to increase job opportunities and cleanliness of the state. We still have an issue with public enlightenment and compliance and we are working to achieve this.

    “Effective May 5, private waste contractors in Oyo have had their contracts terminated. Soon, an Expression of Interest will be published nationally for those with relevant experience and capacity to apply for contracts in the state. Until this is finalised, OYOWMA has full responsibility for the collection of waste.

    ”We are confident to say Ibadan is no longer the dirtiest city in Nigeria, a title no city should aspire to hold. The strides we have made in Ibadan have been replicated across other cities and towns in Oyo State and we know that there is much more to be done,” the commissioner added.

    He urged people, groups, civil societies and communities to partner the government to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment, noting that the efforts of all and sundry would make the state  a beautiful and aesthetically-pleasing environment.

    According to him, “we want to continue to keep Oyo State clean as part of our investment friendly strategy and improvement of the quality of the lives of our people, create jobs for our youths, eradicate diseases and vermin caused by indiscriminate disposal of waste.”

    Arulogun advised residents and business owners to dispose refuse in waste bins and stop throwing waste products on  the roads, adding that they should ensure their waste bins are made available for collection by OYOWMA.

    He said they should pay the government for the services.

     

  • UAE firms to produce 30mw from municipal waste

    With abundant  wastes in Nigeria, the Federal Government can borrow a leaf from United Arab Emirate, (UAE) where municipal wastes are being turned to energy. Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, is to develop a cutting-edge waste-to-energy plant in Sharjah, in partnership with Bee’ah, the Middle East’s leading and award-winning environmental management company.

    This is contained in statement issued by the Account Co-ordinator, Sahara Communications, Amira Gamal.  According to Gamal, the feat was announced at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2017, adding that diverting as much as 300,000 tonnes of solid waste from landfill each year, the project will help Sharjah reach its “zero waste-to-landfill” target by 2020 – and the UAE deliver on its 2021 goal of diverting 75 per cent of solid waste from landfills.

    Masdar and Bee’ah signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the development of new energy projects at ADSW 2016. The facility will incinerate up to 37.5tonnes of solid waste per hour to create 30 megawatts (Mw) of energy. This will add more power to what is produced by Bee’ah’s auxiliary waste-to-energy project, which will eventually produce a total of 90Mw and will be supplied to the Sharjah electricity grid.

    Khaled Al Huraimel, Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bee’ah, said: “Today marks the first venture in the realisation of the partnership that we announced with Masdar last year. The cutting-edge Waste-to-Energy plant in Sharjah is a concrete example of what this strategic partnership will deliver to the UAE and the communities that we serve. We, at Bee’ah, have always been driven by our mission to make the UAE an icon of environmental best practices, and this plant will help us achieve our ambitious environmental goals for the Emirate.

    “The agreement signed today will lead to more projects and bold initiatives that will help the partnership to ensure a sustainable and green future for the UAE.”

    Established in 2007, Bee’ah collects approximately 2.3 million tonnes of waste from nearly one million households in Sharjah each year, diverting around 70 per cent of its collected waste to its recycling waste management facilities from landfill.

    “As one of the leading renewable energy developers in the Middle East & North Africa, we are proud to enter into a partnership with Bee’ah that will both diversify our clean energy portfolio and help commercialise sustainable solutions to Sharjah’s and the UAE’s waste management challenges,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.

    He added: “With GCC countries having among the highest rates of per-capita waste production in the world, sustainable waste management solutions are both critically important and a clear business opportunity. Masdar will combine its proven expertise in renewable energy project development over the last ten years with Bee’ah’s track record in environmentally responsible waste management, to deliver a project that will catalyse further investment in waste-to-energy infrastructure in the UAE and beyond.”

    Masdar’s Clean Energy division is a leading developer and owner of utility-scale, grid-connected projects; remote applications providing energy access to communities away from the electricity grid; and carbon abatement projects. Since 2006, Masdar has invested in renewable energy projects with a combined value of US$8.5 billion; Masdar’s share of these projects is US$2.7 billion.

    Masdar’s renewable energy projects span the UAE, Jordan, Mauritania, Egypt, Morocco, the United Kingdom (UK), Serbia and Spain. The electricity generating capacity of these projects, which are either fully developed or under development, is 2.7 gigawatts (GW) gross.

    Elsewhere in the UAE, Masdar is adopting waste management best practices in the development of Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, one of the world’s most sustainable urban developments. Its on-site construction waste management demonstration project reuses and recycles waste building materials from the City’s construction, including metal, plastic, wood and construction aggregate.