By JKNewsMedia
ON INTERNATIONAL Zero Waste Day, themed “Towards Zero Waste in Fashion and Textiles,” Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), emphasised the urgent need for sustainable waste management and outlined new strategies to reduce landfill reliance and boost recycling efforts across Lagos.
He highlighted LAWMA’s ongoing commitment to minimising waste generation through policies such as waste sorting, recycling, and waste-to-energy projects.
“International Zero Waste Day is a timely reminder that we all have a responsibility to protect our environment by adopting sustainable practices,” he said.
“LAWMA remains dedicated to creating an ecosystem that promotes waste minimisation, but we need every Lagosian to participate actively in this mission.”
In a bid to address the environmental impact of textile waste, which constitutes about 8% of the 13,000 tonnes of daily waste in Lagos, LAWMA announced plans to ban textile waste from landfills.
Collaboration with Tejuosho Market in Yaba will facilitate the collection of textile waste for recycling, while students at the LAWMA Academy are being trained to upcycle these materials into functional products.
The expansion of the Lagos Recycle initiative is central to LAWMA’s zero-waste efforts, with an increased focus on encouraging recycling through partnerships with private companies.
Gbadegesin also shared that the Waste-to-Wealth programme, which converts organic waste into compost, has shown significant success, alongside projects that recycle plastics, aluminium cans, and glass materials, bolstering the city’s circular economy.
Additionally, the Authority’s marine waste team has intensified efforts to clear debris from Lagos’ waterways, focusing on areas like Five Cowries Creek and other flood-prone zones, to maintain clean and accessible waterways.
Dr. Gbadegesin reiterated LAWMA’s strict stance on environmental infractions, urging Lagosians to comply with waste management laws, engage in recycling practices, and ensure proper waste disposal through assigned PSP operators.
He stressed that community participation remains key to achieving a cleaner, healthier Lagos.
