Mr Ibrahim Odumboni, the Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), has once again emphasized the importance of waste sorting for residents, hinting that comes April, homeowners who comply will see a reduction in the waste bill while those who do not will see an increase.
He stated this while speaking with journalists in his office in Ijora-Olopa, Lagos, adding that LAWMA was using recycling as a tool to combat the problem of plastic pollution, as the state generated approximately 13,000 metric tonnes of waste daily, with plastic materials accounting for seventeen per cent of that total.
According to him, “From April, you will get a reduction in your waste bill if you sort your waste at source and vice versa if you don’t. I am appealing to estates, companies and all residents to comply. What we face in Lagos is challenging. In fact, Lagos is the 5th largest economy in Africa; and population-wise, we have over 25 million people living in the city. Scientifically, we’ve estimated that each individual generates about 0.69 kg daily. That’s what we are dealing with – over 13,000 metric tonnes of waste daily, seventeen per cent of those are plastic related wastes.
Odumboni stated further that the recycling initiative for waste management had gained traction, since the inception of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, with the number of recycling companies operating in the state growing from only three to 78.
He observed, Since the launch of the recycling initiative by the Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, we’ve grown from three recycling companies to 78 recycling companies and still counting. We currently have more than 600 aggregators, and over 6000 jobs created in the sector so far. So you can see that we’ve started a movement and a growth. It’s over two years now and the progress that is being made is enormous.
The LAWMA boss reiterated the massive impact of recycling on the lives of many citizens, with the creation of jobs to alleviate unemployment challenges, and the positive impact on environmental sustainability, adding that more opportunities would still be created.
He further announced that the agency, as part of efforts to expand the recycling initiative, would partner with the BASF Group, on a project to convert waste to chemicals, aimed at reducing the environmental impact caused by plastic waste in the state.
He called on corporate organisations, to join forces with the Authority, to create awareness among residents on the need to be actively involved in recycling, with attendant benefits for the people and the environment.
For inquiries on recycling and waste management related issues in your area, please call LAWMA toll-free numbers: 07080601020 and 617 (for GLO users).
