Groups Applaud Delta Government’s Zero Waste Strategies, Seek Waste Pickers, Anti-Incineration Policies
By Edu Abade
Groups of environmental activists and climate crusaders, the Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF) and Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) have commended the Delta State Government for its efforts towards promoting the Zero Waste Initiative in the state.
The commendation followed a recent meeting by the Delta State Ministry of Environment and its outcomes, which the groups said, would position the state for cleaner environmental practices and sustainability.
Recommendations of the Consultative Committee for waste segregation from source, sensitization on waste management and the prerogative to work with transport workers, faith-based organizations and government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will make Delta one of the first states to take proactive and actionable steps towards zero waste, if these recommendations are properly implemented.
Executive Director of CODAF, Richard Benin, who commended the state government for its laudable step towards waste management and environmental protection, urged the government to prioritize the inclusion of waste pickers in the process, as they will be the waste management agents in the field.
In a statement made available to journalists by the groups’ Media Adviser, Elvira Jordan, he (Benin) said this could be rightly achieved by establishing a Waste Pickers’ Association to represent the interests of waste pickers and provide a platform for their voices to be heard.
“The state government can also develop and implement policies and regulations that recognize the role of waste pickers in waste management and provide them with legal protection, access to safety equipment, training, and social services, to improve their working conditions and livelihoods.
“The place of public awareness and education campaigns to recognize the contributions of waste pickers and promote social inclusion is vital towards advancing the role of waste pickers in the waste management system,” he stated.
Also speaking on the issue, Clean Air Programme Manager of GAIA, Weyinmi Okotie, pointed out that the Delta State Government should learn valuable lessons from the Lagos State experience with waste management, emulating its policies towards the advancement of waste management, while ignoring policies that are detrimental to the environment.
He added that Delta State should note that the Lagos State Government’s plan to establish a waste-to-energy incinerator has been met with opposition from environmentalists and civil society organizations, who argue that incineration is not a viable climate solution and can have devastating environmental and health impacts.
Okotie maintained that instead of embracing incineration, the Delta State Government should explore alternative waste management strategies that prioritize sustainability, public health and environmental protection, such as the reduction of methane emissions from the waste sector.
“This will be a concerted effort to divert organic waste from the dump site and convert such waste into compost manure, to support agricultural productivity.
“Research has shown that single-use plastics make up a larger percentage of the waste produced, with single-use plastic as a harmful waste material that poses environmental and health risks. The Delta State Government should also look towards an outright ban of single-use plastics in the state, as a way of checking the plastic surge in the state,” he added.
The recommendations of CODAF and GAIA are workable waste management strategies that have been tested in other climes and have been viable in managing waste, protecting the environment and ensuring public health and safety.
“While we commend the steps taken by the Delta State government towards promoting zero waste in the state, we employ the government to factor the above-stated recommendations into the state’s waste management plan,” the groups said.
