The Lagos State Government has unveiled comprehensive plans to enhance waste management through innovative solutions, including the establishment of waste-to-energy plants.
Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, announced this during the Waste to Energy Summit with the theme, “Driving Environmental Sustainability”.
The event, organized by Rack Centre in collaboration with the NYSC Community Development Service (CDS), was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja.
Represented by Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, the Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Wahab highlighted the necessity of improving dumpsite management to mitigate environmental hazards.
He noted that the Olusosun landfill, initially on the outskirts of Lagos, is now under pressure due to urban development and the increasing volume of solid waste.
To address these challenges, LAWMA is focusing on reducing the waste going to landfills through recycling initiatives and developing composting and biogas plants.
Dr. Gbadegesin said: “We are working on developing composting and biogas plants on the site. The future state is that we are going to decommission the Olusosun landfill; we are already in the process.
“Decommissioning the dumpsite is necessary to address long-term environmental and health impacts. In doing this, we are going to comply with international best practices.”
Additionally, the state plans to establish three waste-to-energy plants in Olusosun, Epe, and Badagry, aiming to convert waste into a resource and reduce landfill dependency.
This strategic move is part of a broader effort to transform waste management and promote environmental sustainability in Lagos.
The summit featured several key stakeholders and experts who discussed sustainable solutions to waste management.
Notable speakers included Ezekiel Egboye, Founding Executive and Chief Operating Officer of Rack Centre;
Jide Onakoya, Chief Operating Officer of Elektron; Professor Emmanuel O. Ogolo, represented by a colleague; Dr. Victor Abimbola Onifade, Senior Lecturer of Urban and Regional Planning;
Olaide Ayodele-Taiwo, Assistant Chief Scientific Officer at NESREA; and Yetunde Baderinwa, NYSC State Coordinator for Lagos State.
The event culminated in a panel discussion where participants deliberated on various sustainable approaches to waste management, reinforcing the collective effort required to achieve a cleaner and greener Lagos.
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