Godwin Akanfe

Lagos state generated 3.6 million tonnes of refuse in 2012. This figure was given by Olabode Coker, the Chairman of the Association of Wastes Managers of Nigeria (AWAM) on Friday.

Coker said the waste evacuated by Waste Managers in the state evacuated 3.6million refuse in 2012, up from 3.28 million tonnes in 2011.

Waste managers are mainly Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators, licenced by the Lagos Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) to evacuate waste.

According to Coker, 10,000 tonnes of waste was generated daily due to the increase in the population in the state, up from a  daily average of 9,000 tonnes in 2011.

He said that part of the agenda this year is to increase awareness and encourage recycling of waste to reduce the amount of refuse to be disposed.

He urged residents to always call for prompt collection of their refuse, giving LAWMA’s number as 7755.