Lagos to generate power from dumpsites

The Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has commenced plans to generate electricity from landfill sites acrossthe state, Mr. Ola Oresanya, LAWMA managing director, has said. Speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Lagos, Oresanya said the project involves capturing methane generated from waste and utilising it for electricity, thereby preventing the release of hazardous gases into the environment and reducing Lagos carbon footprint. In this process, according to him, Lagos would be complying with international standards on environmental governance. The stakeholders meeting, tagged “Landfill Gas Recovery and Utilization Project At Abule-Egba, Olushosun and Solous Landfills”, held in conjunction with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), African Carbon Asset Development (ACAD) and Standard Bank, at the Simpson Transfer Loading Station. Specifically, the stakeholders’ meeting was part of the process of developing and registering a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project under the Kyoto Protocol on climate change managed by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Oresanya observed that one of the methods for achieving emission reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol was the implementation of CDM projects, adding that the proposed project was a step towards saving the world from apparent and imminent danger. According to him, Lagos had an opportunity to improve municipal solid waste management and reduce its carbon footprint through Closure, Collection and Utilisation of Landfill Gas (LFG) captured at existing landfills. He said the agency was about to implement the Phase one of the project, which would comprise a pre-engineering design, under a consultancy contract. The project is expected to commence in February 2011 and would be completed within 12 and 18 months. He stated that phase two of the project would involve the downstream sector, with most of the activities centered on the 20-landfill sites to be located in various parts of the state. The LAWMA boss said about 20, 000 metric tonnes of waste were being projected from the sites daily, explaining that about a minimum of 500 and maximum of 1000 metric tonnes would be targeted daily from each of the sites.