WASTE MANAGEMENT

WASTE MANAGEMENT Introduction: Waste has been defined in so many ways. The Bassel Convention defines Waste as ………………………… In Nigeria Waste is construed as any material that lacks utility or an object or substance that the owner or generator voluntarily or involuntarily relinquishes ownership. Waste is generally assumed to be a negative externality and a measure of human imperfection. Waste is also associated with national development and infact in most cases can be seen as an index of the developing economy. Nigeria must in essence plan to accommodate it in her development plan. Waste is a potential hazard by virtue of its nature and composition, therefore it imperfects handling has severe consequences on the safety and wellbeing of the public. Unlike unadulterated materials or finished commercial products, wastes do not possess the qualities of perfect-market goods. This negative externality implies that waste management services requires extra ordinary Government involvement to turn it into amiable investment material that will create wealth as well as impact on the general wellbeing of Nigeria. Primarily, the objectives of waste management are to offer clean urban hygiene, environmental protection, conservation of materials and alternative source of energy. In Nigeria waste management is still at a domestic scale and totally alienated from other sectors as an indicator of growth. This is very evident in various Federal and State Sanitation Laws which is contrary to global trends where waste management is mainstreamed into National development frameworks. The household problem philosophy requiring house-to-house inspection can no longer suffice. Waste management is posing urban-scale challenge that demands a “chain of control from generator to manager” therefore; waste management requires a more integrated systematic and well-engineered social instrument to synchronize it with the economic development of a Nation. It is imperative that for the good development of Nigeria, this conference must include environmental provisions in the Nations Compilation that will practically realize the aspirations of protecting and preserving the environment for sustainability. 2.        Environmental issues: 2.1      Waste management situation and aspiration (FACTS) Waste generation in Nigeria is on the increase at an estimated rate of about 0.5 – 0.7% per annum. This may correspond with the rate the Nigerian population is growing. Figures collected from various studies conducted indicated that waste generation in Nigeria ranges from 0.4 to 0.6 Ton /capita /annum.  Waste complexity is also increasing with biodegradable waste currently accounting for over 50%. This amounts to over 60milion tons of annual waste burden on Nigeria with less than 10% waste management capacity. This capacity is generally provided and delivered by the public sector. Commercialization of this sector has remained a task with poor or no success story throughout Nigeria.  The failure is due to poor national policy of free-service, poor infrastructure stock and low manpower. Additionally, Nigerian development policies have been highly dominated by economic objectives so in which case environmental protection is ranked low. Furthermore, bulk of available fund is in government possession resulting in high rate of corruption, and low private sector participation. Consequently, private sector is very weak and unable to deliver basic services like waste disposal, and urban cleansing to the citizens. 2.2      Population Influence: Currently, Nigeria has about forty per cent (40%) of her population living in the cities with a growing urbanization rate of about 7% per annum and less than ten per cent (10%) of the city populations enjoying marginal waste management services, and the rural population are left out of any scheme of services. Also, less than one per cent (1%) of Nigerian GDP is spent annually on waste management services. This is far less than the recommended standard of three to five percent (3-5%) of national GDP. The situation is slightly encouraging in Lagos State where Waste management has risen appreciably above just mere collection and disposal because of the involvement of the private sector in Waste management services. Currently, Lagos State generates 20 billion naira from Waste management. The 21st Century Nigeria is expected to witness technological growth, increased urbanization, private sector controlled economy and environmental awareness. These changes shall be accompanied with increased waste yield and complexity, more public demand for environmental protection and waste management services. The new Nigerians also aspire, to have an economy that shall progressively internalizing environmental cost of goods and services in line with various international commitments entered into by the Government. Is the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory prepared for this. This Conference must provide the stimulus. 2.3      Constitutional provision for Waste management. Section 20 of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution (as amended) proclaimed, the national environmental aspiration as protection and improvement of the environment (including the land, waters and the atmosphere).  A reflection on this proclamation with respect to waste management implies: responsible waste disposal targeted at protection of our environment Maximization of reuse and recycling potential of waste to enhance environmental resources conservation. Establishment and upgrading of waste management facilities and, remediation of contaminated sites to propagate environmental improvement. The Waste management objectives of 1989 National Environmental Policy are protection of public health and environmental pollution control. The policy stipulates national methods for waste and pollution information development and also prescribes environmental protection as a constitutional duty of all tiers of governments. It clearly proclaims also, prompt domestication of international legal instruments that Nigeria ratifies. These pronouncements remain as rhetoric. All these require proper pricing and charging of both producers and consumers of goods and services to instil sensible use of environmental resources. However, the National environmental aspiration is further trivialised by 4th Schedule of the same Constitution, which casually ascribed the responsibility to Local Government. It is also important to state that Sub-Section ‘h’ of Section 1 of this Schedule merely referred to refuse disposal not waste in its entirety or its management. Waste matters outside related matters, are residual by virtue of it not appearing in any of the lists in 2nd Schedule of the Constitution. 3.        Challenges: C. Waste Industry Challenges: ISSUES & ARGUMENTS Waste management industry is one of the most controlled in the developed economies nevertheless; it is obviously not regulated in most developing economics including Nigeria.  This has contributed to high occupational public health (sanitation and poor potable water) delivery costs, and long-term environmental liabilities. Sadly, Nigeria today has no comprehensive policy framework on waste management. No Nationally acceptable definition of waste and consequently resulting in poor enforcement. Ø Overlapping jurisdiction between the three tiers of government. Ø Poor Institutional arrangement leading to multiple institutions, inefficient enforcement, and poor investment environment Ø No waste accountability leading to lack private sector participation, poor cost recovery, poor infrastructure and low commercial value of waste management services. Waste has not been mainstreamed into our development fabrics in all sectors and also into the up and downstream of material cycle. This has contributed to the slow pace of departure from the present situation.  Framework of an enduring policy instrument likely to sustain Nigerian aspiration in waste management shall recognize the socio-economic structure of Nigeria, thus structuring responsibilities and jurisdiction in similar manner to minimise friction and improve business environment.  Country’s stock of infrastructure is a critical factor of economic growth and offers opportunities for enterprise development and job creation. It is important to state that while improvement of infrastructural stock preoccupies successive governments no serious attention has been given to environmental management infrastructure. It is indeed a result of lack of planning with attendant uncoordinated, non-sustainable and wasteful development. The consequence of this approach is infrastructure stock imbalance or disorder. Examples of these are everywhere and include: development of Housing Estate without a Sewage management capacity; development of Nuclear Power Plant without Radioactive Waste Capacity and so on. Today no institution offers waste management as a discipline, no statutory professional organisation exist in Environmental Management yet our environment is continuously threatened by waste which has remained our urban scare. Who then is our environmental development going to rest on? This has led to lack of professionals, standards and ethical control of our environmental resources. In the same vain, we lack waste management information which is a basic tool for planning and commercialization. Critical to development of a supportive Waste Management Industry for the 21st Century Nigerian economy, is waste accountability through informative policy instrument.  This will in no small measure engender the internalization of cost of waste management into goods and services and, will stimulate private investment and encourage sustainable production and consumption. Waste accountability includes three responsibilities physical, financial and informative.  Waste generator shall be physically responsible as the owner of wastes generated.  This entails duty to ensure good storage, treatment and responsible disposal.  Financially, waste generator shares in the economic burden of managing the waste (from collection to disposal).  Waste generator by this instrument shall be required to render and account of its waste yield to regulators either personally or through the waste managers.  This informative instrument shall encourage planning and improve certainties in the industry thereby minimizing investment risks. D. RECOMMENDATIONS: PRAYERS Prayer 1: Responsibility in Waste Management Chain Regulation, Control, and Information: shall be the responsibility of the Government (3-tiers) Funding and Information: shall be the responsibility of the Waste Generators & Governments (disaster waste only) Technical Operation , and Information (collection, processing & disposal): shall be the responsibility of the Private Sector duty Prayer 2: Waste Definition for regulation & control By virtue of the existing Mineral, Defense and Land-use, Nuclear Regulatory  Laws: Federal Waste should include: v Disarmament and explosive waste; v Nuclear, and radioactive waste; and v All mining wastes (solid, liquid and gaseous minerals). v State Waste shall consist of: v All other Hazardous waste including Healthcare waste and excluding Federal Waste. v Council Waste includes: v all non-hazardous wastes including domestic and small commercial, and v Institutionally generated wastes. Prayer 3: Simplification of Jurisdiction: The Federal Government through NESREA shall develop a broad regulatory system for all forms of hazardous Waste and shall have broad authority to regulate and control Federal wastes. The State Government shall develop a broad regulatory System for all non-Hazardous Waste and shall be especially responsible for regulation and control of Hazardous Waste other than Federal Wastes. Local Government shall be responsible for regulation and control of non-Hazardous Waste in Nigeria. 4th Schedule of our Constitution should be changed to limit the powers of Councils to non-hazardous wastes. Meaning of BROAD REGULATORY SYSTEM in this context: “benchmark for all to draw from” Meaning for BROAD AUTHORITY in this context: “absolute power to regulate and control” Prayer4: Institutional simplification NESERA by Law has the authority to manage Nigerian Environment and so should be the only Body to regulate Federal Waste (be it in the Oil or Solid mineral sectors of the economy). All State Governments need to set up Waste Management Board for the regulation and management of State waste and these Boards should replace the Sanitation Authorities. This is because the Sanitation Laws (of the State Governments), no longer meet the need of today’s situation as emphasis is on urban rather than domestic sanitation. Local Councils should set-up Waste Disposal Authorities (WDA) for effective management of Council wastes through private sector operators. Prayer 5:               Harmonization of Waste Management Framework There is need for a National Framework for Waste Management. The content of this National framework should be based on the principles that waste: –     is harmful, –     must be accounted for, –     management should be based on best practices and sustainability, and –     Management should be all inclusive (private & public) Prayer 6: Professionalism and Enforcement: Government should set-up a professional organization to assist the statutory bodies to regulate and control waste and environmental management in Nigeria. Waste and environmental management and control has legal and various ethical responsibilities and so cannot be controlled by Law alone. Ethical responsibilities are best managed by professional organizations so they are a pre-requisite for good enforcement regime in the industry. Professional organization also drives the development of: standards, manpower, and investment. CONCLUSION The national aspiration of Nigeria for waste management is achievable with appropriate and well-targeted and integrated policy instruments that will be driven by strong political will, technological innovation and business initiatives. Vertical and horizontal partnership amongst governments and the private sector in the industry is necessary to ensure that the reform agenda of the Government brings a sustainable change to the industry.