By Giwa SHILE
A meteorologist, Mr Emmanuel Emechete, on Wednesday urged the Federal and State Governments to harness the opportunities in recycling business to create more jobs for the unemployed youth.
Emechete, also a climate change advocate, made the appeal in Lagos.
According to him, the financial gains in proper waste management when understood will encourage more Nigerians to participate in recycling.
He said that people would want to get involved in active recycling when they know that they could make extra cash from their efforts.
“The best way to make recycling sustainable in Nigeria is to be able to create a reward, cash or income benefit from it, that way will become more interested in it.
“Recycling has both financial and economic benefits if well balanced; we will achieve more through our recycling efforts in the country.
“I personally keep discarded pet bottles and other recyclables in my house. I intend sending them to a collection point when it is large enough.
“But, the issue we have with recycling currently is that we have few collection centres for tons of recyclable waste we generate in Lagos State alone.
“The few recycling centres we have in Lagos State, for instance, may not be able to pick up recycling waste across the state.
“This in turn results in the issue of space, which also poses another challenge for recycling efforts in individual homes; because as the pile grows, it becomes environmentally hazardous to the residents.
“We have recycling companies, but they cannot cover the demands of the recyclable waste generated.
“This issue will not encourage the culture of recycling by individual households, because the few existing recycling companies do not have a wider reach,” Emechete said.
The meteorologist, however, called on the Federal and State Governments to create the enabling environment for recycling business to thrive in the country.
“Governments should invest financially by creating enabling environment for the setup of more recycling collection centres to make recycling a culture.
“Governments can also soft-pedal on charges and levies placed on recycling companies to encourage more participation in the business,” he said.
