LASG unveils waste management plans at summit
Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, unveiled plans to improve the state’s waste management system during the Waste to Energy Summit themed “Driving Environmental Sustainability.”
The event, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, was organized by Rack Centre in partnership with the NYSC Community Development Service (CDS) and brought together key stakeholders to discuss sustainable waste management solutions.
In his keynote address, delivered by the Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Mr. Wahab emphasized the importance of proper dumpsite management to mitigate environmental hazards.
“When Olusosun was established, it was on the outskirts, but development caught up with it. There’s a lot of pressure on solid waste management, which is why we are working on reducing the amount of waste dumped at the Olusosun landfill through recycling initiatives,” he explained.
Dr. Gbadegesin outlined LAWMA’s strategic plans to transform waste management in the state, focusing on recycling and the introduction of compost and biogas plants to reduce landfill waste.
“We are developing composting and biogas plants on the site. The future state involves decommissioning the Olusosun landfill; we are already in the process. Decommissioning the dumpsite is necessary to address long-term environmental and health impacts. We will comply with international best practices,” he stressed.
The Commissioner also announced plans to establish waste-to-energy plants across the state. “Waste-to-energy plants will be established at the Epe dumpsite. The plan is to have three waste-to-energy plants in the state at Badagry, Epe, and Olusosun. We are exploring other alternatives to be used as landfills since we are working on shutting down the Olusosun landfill.”
Dolapo Olaoluwa, the convener of the summit and a serving corps member, envisioned the gathering of key stakeholders to discuss solutions to the challenges posed by the Olusosun dumpsite and other waste management issues, contributing meaningfully to the community where he was serving.
Mr. Adetayo Odusole, Head of Sustainability Coordination at Rack Centre, expressed enthusiasm for sponsoring the event, noting that Rack Centre was pleased to support the initiative as it aligned with their goals of achieving a sustainable environment in the state, emphasizing that achieving this required a collective effort.
Other speakers at the summit included Ezekiel Egboye, Founding Executive and Chief Operating Officer at Rack Centre; Jide Onakoya, Chief Operating Officer at Elektron; Professor Emmanuel O. Ogolo, Professor of Atmospheric Physics (represented); Dr. Victor Abimbola Onifade, senior lecturer of Urban and Regional Planning; Olaide Ayodele-Taiwo, Assistant Chief Scientific Officer at the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA); and Yetunde Baderinwa, NYSC State Coordinator, Lagos State.
The high point of the event was a panel discussion where stakeholders and experts discussed sustainable solutions to waste management challenges in the state.
