NANFeatures/Vol.11/No.116/2017 (Aug. 2)
Waste recycling: A giant stride in environmental protection
A News Analysis by Okuawan Offiong, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
No fewer than 200 African environmental protection experts and advocates met recently in Cape Coast, Ghana, to brainstorm on Africa’s environmental challenges and proffer possible solutions, particularly in waste management.
The platform was the 2017 Africa Cleanup Conference organised by the Africa Cleanup Initiative — a non-governmental organisation.
The three-day conference also provided an opportunity to appreciate various efforts and strategies already applied to protect the African environment.
It was also a time for reward as 22 persons who made outstanding contributions to environmental protection were honoured with awards.
The conference theme was “Exploring New Horizon and Sustainable Best Practices in Waste Management and Recycling’’.
The emphasis at conference was on the huge potential of recycling to mitigate the impact of waste on Africa’s environment.
Nigeria’s Alhaji Yahaya Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer, Developmental Association for Renewable Energies, explained how plastic bottles could be used to build houses instead of littering the environment.
According to him, the innovation in plastic bottle bricks can create enormous job opportunities.
He said plastic bottles had been used to build houses in some rural areas, particularly those devastated by insurgency or climate change.
Ahmed, who displayed how the houses could be built, said he was convinced that plastic bottle bricks were stronger than the usual bricks.
“It is used in the construction of residential buildings, fences, sitting pavements and for trapping water for areas experiencing drought.
“The plastic bottle brick project has provided jobs for many youths in the northern part pf Nigeria.
“They earn a decent living after being trained as masons and they construct houses and wells using plastic bricks,’’ he said.
The renewable energy expert received the Hero of the Environment Award at the event for tackling homelessness with a plastic bottle housing project in rural areas in the northern part of Nigeria.
Also, a Ghanaian, Mr Issac Bryant of the University of Cape Coast, demonstrated how human urine could be converted to fertiliser to grow crops.
According to him, human urine is better as fertiliser than chemical fertiliser.
“It can be used to grow okro, maize, tomatoes, pepper, garden eggs and some other vegetables.
“Environmental hazards are reduced when urine is collected and used in the farm or garden rather than unguarded disposal that negatively impacts on the surroundings,’’ he argued.
In a paper entitled “Solid Waste Recycling in an Academic Institution: Case Study of University of Lagos’’, the institution said it had moved from various stages of managing waste to recycling.
An engineer in the university, Mrs Afolasade Nubi, presented the paper on behalf of the University of Lagos, which received the Best Recycling Institution of the Year Award at the event.
The university was honoured for introducing recycling as a roadmap to achieving its zero waste vision conceived in 2014.
According to Nubi, the institution no longer burns wastes to avoid health hazards in the school community.
“Now, the institution has sorting bins across the school premises and residential areas; the amount of waste that gets to the landfill is reduced as the mostly generated waste paper, can, and plastic are sold to recycling companies.
“Since 2014, the institution has made a huge amount of money from sorting and recycling of waste as well as ensured a cleaner and healthier community,’’ she said.
According to Nubi, the estimated average daily solid waste generated by the university is 32.2 tonnes.
Nubi said that the recyclables were being sold to recycling companies partnering with the institution.
Similarly, Mr Femi Oye, a Nigerian environmentalist, examined ways by which Africans could reduce carbon footprint through clean cook stoves, solar-powered bulbs and solar-powered refrigerators.
The clean cook stove, according to him, does not emit carbon because it burns on gel and not kerosene.
He noted that the stove reduced stains on pots and promoted a healthy environment.
“The soot that comes from kerosene stove stains pots, defaces walls and causes asthma as it escapes into the air,’’ he observed.
Oye is of the opinion that women should go for more environment-friendly cooking stoves to reduce environmental pollution and increase life expectancy.
However, Mr Joshua Amponsem, Executive Director, Green Africa Youth Organisation, canvassed for more education of Africans on environmental protection.
According to him, waste generated in Africa is comparatively low but is littering the streets, thereby posing a huge threat to the environment and human health.
Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno was also among the 22 persons that received awards at the event.
Shettima received the Hero of the Environment Award for his investment in Borno environment.
The governor was honoured for engaging youths and women in the state in environmental sanitation and for providing 30 roll-off-roll-on compactors worth N250 million.
Assemblyman Obinna Okenwa, representing Enugu South Urban Constituency in the Enugu State Assembly and Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources and Environmental Management, was also honoured for environmental protection.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) environment correspondent, Mrs Okuanwan Offiong, was given the Environment Reporter of the Year Award for efforts in reporting environmental issues.
Other award recipients included Ama Ofori-Antwi, the Executive Secretary of the Environmental Service Providers Association — the umbrella body of private waste management companies in Ghana.
Similarly, Mr James Mulbah, representing Green Cities Inc., Liberia, received an Award of Recognition.
In her remarks, Mrs Gloria Ikegbule, Africa Cleanup Conference Coordinator and Executive Director, African Cleanup Initiative, said the award recipients had set the pace for environmental sustainability in their various communities.(NANFeatures)
**If used, please credit the writer as well as News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)