EFFECTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA IS LACK OF PUBLIC AWARENESS

It is important to briefly definition waste management to learned audience. Waste

management is the process of collecting, treating, and recycling and disposing of different
waste materials. Wikipedia simply puts it that waste management or waste disposal includes
the processes and actions required to manage waste from its inception to its final disposal.
With increasing population and industrialization, Nigeria is faced with the challenge of
adequately handling the increasing quantum of solid waste generated from anthropogenic
activities. The challenges facing the sector can be capped under different major issues but on
this debate we shall be debating on one of the factors i.e LACK OF PUBLIC AWARENESS
TOWARDS EFFECTIVE WAST MANAGEMENT
There are about four classes of waste management needed for public enlightenment or
awareness by the government, but little or no effects have been put in place to adequately
inform the public on dangers associated to them. They includes:
Hazardous waste:- It is considered to be any solid or liquid substance that can cause damage to
our environment or that represents a risk to people’s health, they includes flammable,
corrosive, toxic and reactive materials. In a nutshell, they are wastes that poses a significant or
potential threat to life. There are many sources of hazardous chemical waste including:
batteries, construction debris, natural gas, fossil fuel combustion, industry waste, pesticides,
herbicides, fertilizers, medical facilities, crude and used oil.
For instance, Acute widespread lead poisoning took place in Zamfara State, Nigeria in 2010.
Over 735 children were reported dead and thousands sickened by the neurotoxin. The source
was traced to artisanal gold mining and processing in the villages. If there were proper public
awareness by the government to artisan miners and also the public on dangers associated to
lead mining and waste disposal and other metals such as mercy, arsenic that are dangerous to
the body perhaps the public should have been aware of those elements in proper handling.
Lack of awareness often leads to improper disposal practices such as littering, illegal dumping,
and indiscriminate waste disposal, exacerbating environmental degradation and pollution
Radioactive Waste. Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive
material. Radioactive waste is produced from nuclear medicine treatments, cancer therapies
and medical equipment that uses radioactive isotopes Lack of public awareness in proper
handling of radioactive material could be tantamount of them being exposed by these rays, we
all know the aftermath effect when one is exposed by this
Biomedical waste is also known as hospital waste, is any waste containing infectious or
potentially infectious materials. These wastes are generated during the diagnosis, treatment,
they includes disposable syringe, gloves, old hospital equipment,
The greatest concern regarding improperly handled medical waste involves exposure to
infectious pathogens. Those exposed to medical waste can be infected through punctures of
the skin, as well as through inhalation or ingestion. While HIV and Hepatitis B and C present the
greatest risk, antibiotic resistant E
The environmental impact of medical waste is both profound and far-reaching, encompassing
pollution, contamination of ecosystems, and contributions to climate change. Improper disposal
methods allow hazardous materials to enter soil and waterways, adversely affecting wildlife
and human health
Organic waste is a common household waste. All food waste, garden waste, manure and rotten
meat are classified as organic waste. Over time, organic waste is decompose and turn into
manure
Environmental pollutants can cause health problems like respiratory diseases, heart disease,
and some types of cancer. People with low incomes are more likely to live in polluted areas and
have unsafe drinking water. Children and pregnant women are at higher risk of health problems
related to pollution.
The waste that ends up in landfills releases methane gas over time. Moreover, landfills are only
one way trash is disposed of. Forty percent of the world’s trash ends up being burned. The
burning of refuse emits large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse glasses.
Wastewater adds around 6.2 million tons of nitrogen to coastal waters worldwide per year,
contributing significantly to harmful algal blooms, eutrophication and ocean dead zones.
Furthermore, the lack of public awareness and civic responsibility regarding waste disposal
exacerbates the problem, leading to littering and improper waste segregation. Addressing this
challenge requires a multi-faceted approach that involves improving waste collection services,
raising awareness about proper waste management practices, and providing alternative
solutions for waste disposal, such as community recycling programs or waste-to-energy
initiatives.
Finally, the challenges of waste management in Nigerian cities are formidable, but not
insurmountable. By embracing innovative solutions, fostering collaboration, and promoting
civic responsibility, we can overcome these challenges and pave the way for a future where
waste is no longer a burden but a valuable resource for sustainable development.
Collected wastes lead to the emission of greenhouse gases, which increase the amount of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, resulting in the heating up of our environment. This has
resulted in climate change. Improper waste dumping leads to soil contamination.
Lack of public awareness of Accumulation of these wastes can cause land pollution, degradation
of landscape, soil contamination, air pollution, water pollution, health issues, and even the
extinction of terrestrial and aquatic species.
Many people do know that If emissions from waste disposal continue to increase, climate will
not only be negatively impacted, but human health as well. Through environmental
contamination, one can develop diseases, such as asthma, birth defects, cancer, cardiovascular
disease and more.
The Environmental Standards Regulatory And Enforcement Agency(NESREA); Federal Ministry
of Environment; States’ Ministries of Environment; Ministry of Water Resources; Lagos State
Waste Management Authority (LSWMA) and other various states waste manage- ment
authorities; these Agencies are saddled with various responsibility for proper waste
management and recycling, including public awareness has often times not met expectations
especially teaching and training the public on proper handling of waste disposal, and
environmental waste pollutions.