LASG sets 18 months to close Olusosun, other dumpsites

The Lagos State government has said it is targeting an 18-month period for the decommissioning of Olusosun and other old dumpsites in the state.

It also assured residents that the newly opened landfills in the Epe, Badagry, and Ikorodu areas would not degenerate into the same state as Olusosun and other dumpsites, saying only a small fraction of waste would be deposited at the new sites.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said this on Saturday while speaking with journalists during a routine inspection of the dumpsites.

 Wahab said the state government had been engaging with stakeholders on the condition of the dumpsites, which necessitated the on-the-spot assessment.

According to him, the 18-month timeline is to ensure that the necessary facilities are put in place for the proper commencement of the decommissioning process.

Wahab said, “We have said that we want to decommission Solus 2 and Olusosun; that plan is in the works. On the decommissioning, I can assure you that it will take place in 18 months or thereabouts from now.

“On our way in, the first place we went to was the designated place for Zoom Lion, our partner for the waste-to-wealth project, and part of the deal is that once they start their material recovery facility, they will begin the process of decommissioning this place and capping it the way it is done globally.

The same thing will happen to Solus 2, which is why we have to provide the alternative facilities around Ikorodu, Epe, and Badagry. In 18 months from now, we will start seeing those activities in place. You don’t just decommission; you must provide an alternative for them to take whatever is left from the treated resource to be dumped.”

He addressed concerns that the new landfills in Ikorodu, Epe, and Badagry may degenerate into the same state as Olusosun.

“What we are trying to do is that we are now moving from a linear waste management system to environmentally friendly and sustainable ways, where waste is now seen as a resource. The quantity of waste that will end up at the landfills will be minimal,” he added.

He said the government was also working on providing alternative exit roads around the Olusosun dumpsite so that waste collection vehicles would not spend long periods before leaving the site.

Wahab noted that plans were underway to take stock of individuals operating around the dumpsites to ensure security in the areas.

Meanwhile, a resident at the Igando dumpsite, Emeka Nweke, appealed to the government to address the indiscriminate roadside parking by waste vehicle drivers to prevent road crashes.

Nweke also urged the government to reconstruct the roads in the area, which he said often suffer damage due to the lack of a proper drainage system.

culled from punch