By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The Lagos State Government, over the weekend, demonstrated its irrevocable commitment to advancing waste conversion by signing three separate Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with various reputable companies. This was one of the outcomes of the 11th Lagos International Climate Change Summit, which climaxed with breakout and panel sessions on thematic areas featuring experts.
Addressing the investors and delegates at the Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab stated that the state government is determined to move from linear waste management (pick and dump) to conversion of waste to wealth, which is more sustainable.
He said the new MOUs represent a new vista in the quest of the state to reduce the quantum of waste that finally gets to the various landfill sites. Wahab explained that the proposition from one of the companies, HAK Waste Limited, is to establish a circular beverage container bottle recycling & recovery through a deposit refund system hinged on the Extended Producer’s Responsibility mechanism (EPRM).
The Commissioner added that the new proposal is an investor’s confidence in the EPRM policy of the state on waste reduction and would also involve the establishment of a packaging circularity ecosystem. He explained that another of the MOUs will bring about a first-of-its-kind establishment of a world-class tyre collection and recycling of end-of-life tyres in the state.
He said: “Haggai Logistics Limited – proposes to build a first-of-its-kind tyre recycling plant, responsible for processing end-of-life tyres via a fully automated Waste Tyre Recycling Factory and deployment of environmentally sound recycling technologies”.
The third of the MOU, according to the Commissioner, is with Mondo 4 Africa, proposing to convert non-recyclable plastic waste into sustainable fuel and other valuable resources through environmentally friendly technology. He added that the state is determined to continually sensitise the residents to cultivate the habits of waste sorting from the source (home) and always bear in mind that waste is a resource and not a waste.
“We are trying to make people change the culture of seeing waste as waste but waste as a resource. We are also trying to shift their mindset from the practice that has been in use for decades”.
He stressed that the government is trying its best to address these key issues simultaneously for a proper financial intervention and agreed on their price.
Wahab also emphasised that the government is thinking of proper financing and how to access it constantly, while considering the vulnerabilities of Lagos as a coastal state.
Speaking further on the new MOUs, the Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin said the new initiative is part of the organisation’s quest to improve the state of the environment in Lagos.
He explained that the State government or LAWMA alone cannot be saddled with the responsibility of managing the quantum of daily generated solid waste in the state, but needs the partnership of the private sector to turn waste into a resource and wealth.
In their response, the company executives expressed their appreciation and willingness to work with the Lagos State Government to actualise the waste-to-wealth initiative of the state.
The event was witnessed by the Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu; Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Gaji; Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite and the Managing Director of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin and his Executive Director (Finance), Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, among others.
