Informal Waste Management Essay

There is a surge in the global waste generation owing to the increasing production and consumption rates.4 However, the massive quantities of waste, produced in Nigeria, are beyond the control of the municipal waste management authorities and exceeds the capacity of the environment.Nigeria has a population of 162 million people.1 and 2 and the average amount of waste generation is 0.49 kg/capita/day.3.Moreover, Nigeria has a yearly urban growth rate of 3.78%. Rapid urbanization, lack of resources to provide services, poor urban planning, and ineffective policies further aggravate the inability of the municipal waste management authority to function .5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 .Such a situation has led to the promotion of open-air dumps, which pose a

Moreover, informal waste workers themselves seem to be more worried about economic survival and are oblivious to their working hazards.Their energy and focus are mainly geared towards the collection of sufficient materials to provide for their daily needs, and they are often unable to find an improvement in their working conditions.This article highlights ways to better their working conditions, reduce the related occupational health risk and to improve the poor perceptions of the general public. .7, 13 and 16.Official recognition and acceptance of their activity will not only generate maximum resourcing and recovery of materials from dumpsites and landfills but also ensure an economically secure environment for them.Furthermore; it will also help in achieving three of the millennium development objectives: poverty alleviation, job creation, and environmental

Municipal budgets are insufficient to fund waste collection and disposal in a rapidly growing population.4 Hence, there is a need to collaborate with other stakeholders in solid waste management to conserve the environment in the face of imminent industrialization. The integration of IWCs could include the licensing and registration of IWCs; the formation, organization, and training of co-operatives; private partnerships with IWCs or allowing IWCs to operate in areas inaccessible to formal waste management.It will be beneficial for waste pickers to obtain training on resource recovery and their need to utilize protective gear such as gloves and footwear during manual sorting. Thus, effective policies, safe techniques to handle waste, positive public perception, and partnership with stakeholders can minimize the occupational risk associated with unhygienic manual hand sorting, result in an increase in the quality and