Lagos reviews solid waste management, unveils Cleaner Lagos Initiative

Citing the continuous increase in population  and the challenges of managing the surge in solid waste particularly the domestic component, the Lagos State government has reviewed the solid waste management system with the introduction of Clean Lagos Initiative that will inject about N85 billion into waste management within five years.

State Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, accompanied by the Information and Strategy counterpart, Mr. Steve Ayorinde and other state officials disclosed this to newsmen recently in Lagos.

Under the new initiative, the State government in partnership with an investor would introduce about 600 new compactor trucks, mini-trucks and tricycles to manage the domestic waste while the present Lagos Waste Management Authority- Private Sector Participation (LAWMA-PSP) will concentrate on commercial, public and other waste collection components.

Specifically, the state will be divided into zones to be assigned to various refuse collectors in which their activities will be monitor through a Control room.

Besides, the Cleaner Lagos Initiative is concerned with addressing the existing challenges in solid waste management in the state and creating the enabling environment for the private sector to harness international best practice in this vital area of infrastructure.

The initiative also aims to protect the environment, human health and social living standards of Lagos residents by promoting:

*A harmonized and holistic approach to the challenges thereby ensuring improved operational efficiency.

*Addressing the lacunae in the existing legislation to expand the scope of LAWMA to enable it enforce, regulate and generate revenue from the waste management process.

The Environment Commissioner, who admitted the waste management challenges of the state, noted that regular waste collection is hindered by vicious cycle between clients and operators as poor collection service delivery leads to irregular and poor payments.

“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. Many individual operators have failed to fulfil their obligations on the trucks,” he stated.

Adejare however, expressed optimism that the new initiative would address the challenges, adding that part of the initiative is to have 15 Material Recovery Facility (MRF), engineering landfill site and ultimately to generate power through waste in the five divisions of the state.

He disclosed that the government will employ more sanitation officers that would monitor and report any environmental infractions and sanction people. Also, that community sweepers will be introduce in all the 377 wards in the state that will be kitted and provided with phone to communicate with the control room.

The Commissioner explained that the government had sent the state’s environmental law to the House of Assembly for review, adding that the new law will introduce public utility level which is to be paid to the central.