NIGERIA – Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria), in partnership with the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), is leading the charge for a zero-waste initiative.
At a recent stakeholders’ workshop in Lagos, Dr. Leslie Adogame, Executive Director of SRADev Nigeria, emphasized the need for a new waste management strategy, starting with Lagos as a pilot project.
The initiative aims to reduce waste at its source, promote capacity-building, and introduce effective approaches to zero waste across Nigeria.
The workshop brought together a diverse group of participants, including residents, students, waste pickers, managers, recyclers, experts, and representatives from Lagos State’s Ministries of Environment and Agriculture, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
Adogame stressed that waste management is a collective responsibility and should not be left solely to the government.
“Nigerians have not been managing waste effectively,” he said, advocating for joint efforts to tackle the issue.
The workshop, themed “Advancing Capacity and Strengthening National Advocacy Towards Implementing a Zero Waste Initiative in Plastic Waste Management in Nigeria,” aimed to build support for this sustainable approach.
Experts and officials at the workshop agreed that if Lagos can successfully implement the zero-waste initiative, it will serve as a model for other cities in Nigeria.
Waste management practices from countries like Tanzania and Senegal were also showcased to highlight potential solutions.
Adogame further explained that waste is an inevitable byproduct of human existence, but it must be managed sustainably to mitigate its environmental and public health impacts.
He called for a shift in mindset, urging citizens to take responsibility for the waste they produce and to embrace waste reduction, separation, and recycling at the household and industrial levels.
“Lagos, as a megacity, should prioritize waste management,” Adogame said, noting that while the state government is making strides, the public’s participation remains a challenge.
He advocated for a paradigm shift where citizens, from estates to schools, are educated on zero waste, with a focus on reducing waste at the source.
SRADev Nigeria is committed to promoting sustainable waste management practices that protect public health and the environment, with plans to collaborate with the Lagos State government before scaling the initiative nationwide.
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