Waste Management: A Tool for Environmental Protection in Nigeria

摘要

Most of the problems associated with domestic waste management are due to lapses in governmental policies and programs. Therefore, the Government of Nigeria should encourage private domestic waste-management firms, with expertise in handling the waste generated by diverse human settlements/activities. The decentralization of industrial and infrastructural development would, to a large extent, reduce/minimize the migration of people from rural to urban areas. In addition, regular organization of environmental seminars and workshops by government and industries both in the rural areas and cities would help to create environmental awareness and better waste-management strategies.Environmental management and protection should be a joint government/industry/community participatory program. Participatory environmental management should have the people as its focus and uphold their needs, perceptions, knowledge, and values. It will, however, be necessary to remove the obstacles to effective popular participation in environmental policies. Such obstacles include illiteracy, ignorance, certain negative cultural and religious beliefs, etc.Waste segregation practices should be encouraged at the point source of waste generation. Separation of wastes will contribute to better management of the total waste mass.Recycling of wastes after sorting is an important feature in handling waste products. The recycling of paper wastes, for example, will reduce pressure on the source of the raw materials used for paper production. This could contribute to increased economic development in Nigeria. In this way, materials that were formerly classified as waste may become valuable raw materials. Various forms of fertilizers could be produced from recycled sewage and other domestic refuse and garbage.Finally, as it is the practice in a great many developed economies, environmental legislation should allocate the responsibility for environmental protection to corporate, government, and voluntary agencies. This will mean that officers of such corporations and community leaders (including family members) can be held criminally liable for any pollution resulting from indiscriminate dumping of wastes. This will also ensure a more effective participatory approach to waste-management problems.