LAWMA unveils plans for strategic waste management in Lagos

…As state to acquire 100 CNG trucks for PSP operations

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has laid out plans for strategic waste management that will involve the introduction of smart waste bins in business premises and homes across the state.

Muyiwa Gbadegesin, managing director/CEO, LAWMA, who announced this at one-day stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, also disclosed plans by the Lagos State government to acquire 100 CNG trucks for the the effective operations of Private Sector Participants (PSP).

The CNG will help the PSP operators reduce the high expenses and carbon emissions associated with diesel-powered waste trucks currently being used in the state.

Gbadegesin, in a detailed presentation at the forum organised by LAWMA, highlighted the progress recorded and future plans for waste management in the state, noting that the city’s 23 million residents generate 5.46 million tonnes of waste annually, which the agency is managing through a range of initiatives, anchored on effective collection, treatment, and disposal.

“We are committed to providing efficient waste management services to all Lagosians. With our team of dedicated staff, we manage domestic, commercial, and medical waste across the state. We also sweep 963 routes and collect solid waste from the lagoons and waterways”.

Gbadegesin revealed that a large portion of the waste generated in state came from households, with LAWMA overseeing its transportation and treatment through partnerships with 420 PSPs, adding that the efforts were supplemented by sweeping services across major streets, managed by 16,361 street sweepers.

He further highlighted the authority’s waste recovery initiatives, emphasising the growing focus on recycling and circular economy principles, pointing out that LAWMA had introduced a two-bin system for households, where one bin stood for general waste and the other for recyclables.

“This system will help households segregate waste at the source, boosting recycling efforts and reducing the volume of waste that ends up in landfills. We have already established community recycling centers and are partnering with retail points to promote extended producer responsibility,” he stressed.

The LAWMA MD stated that, in line with the state’s T.H.E.M.E.S.+ agenda focused on health and the environment, LAWMA was exploring waste-to-energy projects, including the revival of a pilot biogas production plant at Ketu Fruit Market, where organic waste would be converted to energy.

“We are committed to using advanced technologies to transform waste into resources, reducing Lagos’ dependence on landfills and contributing to the state’s energy needs,” he said.

He said as part of ongoing efforts, LAWMA was tackling marine waste and hazardous materials, to protect the state’s waterways and reduce environmental hazards, while planning to increase recycling rates by 25 percent in the next three years and transforming waste disposal facilities into eco-parks and waste treatment plants, for a more sustainable city.

“Our work extends beyond the streets. We are involved in marine waste collection and the safe disposal of hazardous materials, ensuring a cleaner and safer Lagos. We are determined to build a cleaner, greener Lagos for future generations’, he concluded.

On his part, Rotimi Akodu, the special adviser to the Lagos State governor on environment, stressed the need for a synergy between players in the public and private sectors to achieve cleaner and sustainable environment in the state, adding that the state government had embarked on various initiatives, aimed at improving the environment.

Also speaking at the event, Omobolaji Gaji, the permanent secretary of the state ministry of the environment and water resources, represented by Hassan Sanuth, director of sanitation, described the event as an important one, capable of proffering solutions to waste management challenges in the state.

He said the peculiarity of the Lagos environment made it necessary for urgent actions to be taken in tackling a myriad of environmental constraints facing the metropolis, urging the populace to join hands with the state government, to make the environment better.

Earlier in his welcome address, Kunle Adebiyi, an executive director at LAWMA, noted that the challenge of managing the enormous volume of waste generated daily by residents, informed the authority’s decision to launch the “Adopt-a-bin” initiative, targeted at promoting waste containerisation, adding that the stakeholders’ forum provided an avenue to explore workable options in meeting waste management needs of residents.

“The task of managing the huge volume of waste remains challenging, hence the need for a forum like this, where we can jointly examine all workable options available to us, and fine-tune strategies to ensure that we remain on top of the situation,” he stated.

On his part, Olugbenga Adeola, president of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAWN), praised the commitment of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to transforming the environment and waste management system in the state.

He urged cooperate organisations to embrace the “Adopt-a-bin” initiative, as a CSR strategy, to enable every household in the state procure the bins.

Doyin Oyefusi, head of marketing, Wastecare Solutions and Resources Management, enlightened participants at the event on the features of the LAWMA smart bin and the advantages they have over other types of bins.

She said that the smart bins were equipped with RFID chips for tracking waste collection to ensure prompt service by PSP operators, came with geolocation for easy tracking if misplaced, feature color-coding to support waste separation (green for general waste and blue for recyclables), and are designed with a 15-year warranty for long-term durability, making them highly efficient compared to traditional bins.

This was as Mayowa Elefin, managing director of Maladase Ecopreneur Management Limited (MECOM), in a presentation titled, “Recycling: Impact on the Environment”, emphasised the importance of recycling to the environment, including reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emission, conserving natural resources, saving energy and promoting sustainable practices.