Feb. 24, 2022

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has unveiled the Adopt-a-Bin programme with an initial 40,000 standard bins deployed to households and commercial entities.

Sanwo-Olu spoke during the launch of the programme at Simpson Transfer Loading Station on Lagos Island, saying the gospel of waste sorting at source is now gaining ground as individual pickers of recyclable items are increasing by the day and recycling firms springing up.

According to the Governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, “Today, we are at the threshold of another phase in our Lagos Recycle Initiative, as we launch standard waste bins for the “Adopt-A-Bin” project, which is LAWMA’s latest baby. The bins which come in two colours, the green for general waste and the blue for recyclable items, are for containerising waste”.

“These are not ordinary bins; but smart ones, built to last, and in accordance with internationally recognised quality standards. They are fitted with intelligent devices that enable tracking and identification. These unique devices also make it possible to register every single bin to individual addresses for easy communication on issues relating to them”, he stated.

Maintaining that his administration has a clear roadmap of the journey to a cleaner Lagos City with a sustainable environment, the Governor explained that the government had systematically unfolded its plans and strategies such as the procurement of the 102 trucks and double dino bins; launch of Lagos Recycle Initiative, and now formally bringing “Adopt-a-Bin” project to life for homes, offices, churches and mosques, among others.

He said the whole essence of the standard waste bins was to simplify the process of waste management from the source.

His words: “When you acquire the bins, you simply sort your waste and drop all recyclable items like cans, plastic, cartons, water sachets, etc. in the blue bin while you drop the general waste in the green bin. The stability of those bins ensures easy handling by the waste collectors, who come around periodically to empty them”.

“While the PSP operators show up to empty the green bins, the recyclers come around for the blue containing the recyclable items, which are weighed and recorded, until you are ready for redemption in cash or kind”, he explained.

The Governor appealed to corporate bodies to incorporate in their Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) initiatives, the adoption of communities, especially low-income areas, for mass provision of the waste bins, urging all residents, markets, schools, hospitals and others to play their individual roles towards achieving a constantly clean and sustainable environment.

The Managing Director/CEO, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, stated that without any doubt the launch of the Adopt-a-Bin Programme would move the government closer to its vision of establishing an environment-friendly State, through best waste management practices.

Odumboni added that the programme would promote the sorting of waste at the source, a key ingredient in the State government’s recycling and circular economy drive.

The LAWMA boss emphasised that this became necessary in order for residents to support the drive and initiative of separating waste from source, saying “as we cannot continue to endanger our environment, any estate and commercial premises that do this would be certified as compliant and environmentally friendly”.

Goodwill messages were delivered by the Managing Director, First City Merchant Bank (FCMD), Mrs. Yemisi Edun; President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN), Mr. David Oriyomi; and the representative of Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), Agharese Onaghise, among others.

Also in attendance were the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Tajudeen Gaji; Special Adviser to the Governor on Drainage Services, Mr. Joe Igbokwe; representative of the Oba of Lagos, HRM. Oba Rilwan Akiolu 1, Chief Ismail Folaji and the management of LAWMA.

The Adopt-A-Bin Programme is carefully designed to promote effective waste management in the State with emphasis on waste sorting right at the point of generation.