Solid waste management, Lagos introduces “Cleaner Lagos Initiative”

Apparently to effectively tackle waste management and produce cleaner environment, the Lagos State government has introduced a new method, tagged “Cleaner Lagos Initiative.”

The new approach will alter the status quo, whereby activities of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Private Sector Participation (PSP), dumpsites and other aspects of waste disposal and collections are being reviewed.

Highlighting the challenges in the current system, Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Samuel Adejare, who was accompanied by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, stated that regular waste collection is hindered by a vicious cycle between clients and operators as poor collection service delivery leads to irregular and poor payments.

Besides, he said that bin placement, transfer loading stations, and other supporting infrastructure have been ignored and undue attention placed on waste collection only.

“LAWMA, in its role as regulator is overwhelmed by the responsibilities of having to coordinate the activities of 350 individual companies and still carry out its own collection services.

“The billing system is unduly complicated due to the differences and inconsistencies in charges and collection routes therefore leaving the billing system open to manipulation and fraud, with many individual operators have failed to fulfil their obligations on the trucks,” said Adejare, adding that  Cleaner Lagos Initiative is concerned with addressing the existing challenges in solid waste management in the state.

He also noted that the new initiative is capable of creating the enabling environment for the private sector to harness international best practice in this vital area of infrastructure.

But some of the fundamental changes that would be effected include the transformation of Transfer Load Stations (TLS), to Material Recovery Facility (MRF), elimination of dumpsites, namely; Olusosun and Soulus.

Others are the plan to buy 600 new compactors to complement the existing ones that are still functioning and re-certification of new private operators.

“Where we are going in Lagos is where there will not be dump sites any longer. For example, in Sweden today, there is no single dump site. It was zero dumpsite in Sweden, while China buys waste from other countries. Israel is also coming up with new technology in waste management and Lagos cannot be an exemption.

The new initiative is to provide opportunities for private Sector participants to benefit immensely in course of their businesses, while at the long run, waste being generated to provide energy.

Speaking also on the next line of action on the cancellation of monthly sanitation exercise that has generated a lot of reactions, Adejare stated that reasons behind the cancellation include huge expenditure that were expended on monthly basis.

“Besides, Lagos is a big business city that could not afford to be wasting time on things like environmental sanitation where a lot of hours are being used.

“What we are to do now is to introduce sanitary inspection on ward basis, with 25,000 officials would be employed,” he promised.