WAMASON - Waste Management Society Of Nigeria ::News Update

►Newsletter Newsletter 1 - 2008

Introduction:

Dear Colleagues,

I acknowledge the break in transmitting the Society’s Newsletter for sometime now and also accept this irresponsibility and accordingly, render my unreserved apologies. Meanwhile, I am delighted to present to you the first Newsletter of this year. In an effort to continuously serve you better, two new columns; From the Presidential Desk and Contribution, have been added to this edition. From the Presidential Desk presents the President’s views on teething issues of the industry and profession, and this time he presents his views on the Concept of Waste- to-Wealth. The Contribution Column will be featuring contributions from members and non members on technical reviews, report, essay on topical issues in waste management and national economy. In this edition we have an article on improved waste management and its effect on global warming and energy generation. These improvements are intended to acquaint you with topical issues in the industry and further excite your comments as well as structure your actions.

We have interesting news in our usual columns which include The Secretariat Info that informs you of the activities of the Society from the National Secretariat and the Regional Tit Bits that features news from our different Regions. The Council Corner that contains information on the activities of our various State Councils and Industry News column divided into National and International segments. These segments feature the happenings in the industry at local and international scenes respectively.

I am sure you will find the content of this particular edition interesting. Please remember to send in your contributions for inclusion in the next edition. Be assured that we will be hitting your mail box with our improved Newsletter bi-monthly.

Edith.

SECRETARIAT INFO

Wamason Participates in USA trade mission

ISWA accepts to collaborate with WAMASON in training

WAMASON PARTICIAPTE IN USA TRADE MISSION

WAMASON scheduled some of her Corporate Members (based on their financial status) to participate in the Sub Sahara US trade mission which took place in Lagos between March (5-7). They were in addition to rounds of business meetings invited by the Consul General of the United State of America in Nigeria to an evening reception (6^th of March) of the delegates. The curtail party provided an excellent opportunity for members to network with mission members. The delegates were led by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General for the US Foreign Commercial Services, Israel Hernandez and in the Group was the EXIM Bank Regional Director for Africa, Mr John Richter. According to the Consul General, (the Trade Mission’s objective is to expand US/Nigerian business activities) the Mission is one of the fallouts of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s visit to the USA.

ISWA ACCEPTS TO COLLABORATE WITH WAMASON ON TRAINING

The International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) will be training WAMASON members and interested public in Landfill Technology come spring (between March and May) 2009. The training is scheduled for three days and will include a site visitation. Also, Nigeria will be hosting the ISWA Technical Working Group on Landfill during this period. This Group which has WAMASON President as a member will be discussing among other things the up-grading of Dumpsites in developing countries. Watch out and do not miss this opportunity to meet with the industry giants

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INDUSTRY NEWS -

NATIONAL

Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Biennial International Conference in Nigeria

Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Department of Petroleum Resources and other major Stakeholders in the Oil and Gas sector is organising the 2008 HSE Biennial International Conference on Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria. The theme of the Conference is “Promoting HSE Best Practices in a Challenging Environment” and it is scheduled for 3-5 of November at the NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja.

The Organisers are calling for papers in 18 subject areas related to HSE from interested persons, and exhibition of products by interested companies. Abstracts of the papers which shall not be more than two pages are to be to submitted not later than 31^st of May, 2008. This is a unique opportunity for WAMASON to professional chart a new direction for waste management in the Oil and Gas industry, we therefore enjoin able members to participate in this conference. For further details see page 86 of The Guardian, Monday 10, 2008.

Professionals Query the Federal Waste Management Programme

One way of the ways of addressing the challenges of waste management is Government partnership with private sector which has been successful in many developed and developing countries of the world. This approach has been adopted in Nigeria and consequently the Federal Government through the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development has developed a PPP programme for development of waste management infrastructure in phases across the urban areas. The first phase of this programme kicked off (in 2004) with Environmental Studies which was protracted and development of integrated waste management facilities in 12 cities including Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, Onitsha, Aba and so on.

This tripartite model includes the Federal Government (responsible for disbursement of $250, 000.00 each for initial take-off), the State Government (with the duty of providing land for the facility), and the Contractor and owner (who will build, operate and manage the integrated Facility). To date, Nigerians are yet to enjoy the impact of this programme – the sites are desolate, the cities are dirty and the people are oppressed by the nuisance of waste. Who can explain the failure of this programme? Should it be poor planning and modelling, lack of expertise or poor administration? We are professionals and we owe our nation a duty of seeing things done rightly in our domain (exclusively reserved for us to protect public interest). We also owe them explanation. Colleagues we need responses.

INTERNATIONAL

KENYA

Waste Dump Poses Health Hazard to Children, Warns UNEP

A study commissioned by the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) on 328 children up to the age of 18 around Dandora Municipal Dumping Site has shown that half of them had concentration of lead in their blood exceeding internationally accepted levels. It also showed that 42% of soil samples recorded lead levels almost 10 times higher than unpolluted soil. Almost half of the children tested are suffering from respiratory diseases, including chronic bronchitis and asthma.

The result was described as very worrisome and worse than expected by the UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner. He drew a broader conclusion on the problems of waste management in poor countries; as the situation there is a mirror of dumpsites across many parts of Africa. UNEP has pledged to assist the local and national authorities in the search for improved waste management systems and strategies including ones that generate sustainable and healthier jobs in waste handling and recycling. Nigeria with numerous Waste Dumpsites dotting the urban landscape of her cities and also bedevilled by incapacitated and complex institutional arrangement has a Herculean task if our generation is not ready to bequeath bad environmental legacy to our future Nigeria. The challenge is enormous as over 75% of Nigerian depend on surface or individually mined underground water. The time is now for the Governments (Federal and State) to initiate a comprehensive waste management strategy (involving professionals) with a measure to upgrading Waste Dumpsites.

(Source; Waste Management World, ISWA)

EUROPE

EC Joins Methane to Markets Partner

The European Commission (EC) became the 21^st partner of the Methane to Markets Partnership at the end of September, 2007. The major goal of the partnership is to reduce climate change and with the entry of EC, it is envisaged that it will provide additional expertise and resources to advance methane capture and use in Europe and other partner countries. EC is the first multi-country entity to join Methane though four EC members (Germany, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom) are already members. Members of the partnership besides EC are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam. The State Governments in Nigeria has a lot to benefit from Methane-Markets programme of USA as they can leverage on Nigeria partnership to initiate waste management facilities aimed at cutting methane emissions. This can be technically supported and funded by this programme. Lagos State has benefited from this so why not yours.

(Source; Waste Management World, ISWA)

European Commission Stands Firm on Kyoto Targets

In an effort to meet Kyoto targets, the European Commission has announced that European industries will have to emit 10% less carbon Oxide than national governments had wanted from 2008-2012 (2^nd phase of the project). This has become necessary as many EU states are well behind their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions targets under the Kyoto Protocol on global warming – notably, Spain, Portugal and Italy. It was realised that industry received too many emissions permit in the first trading period (2005-2007), which harms the credibility of the treaty and is heaping pressures on the EU. National governments tabled request for 2.3 billion tonnes, 12% more than the final quota of 2.1 billion. The EU Scheme is meant to give industry a shortage of permits to emit the GHG carbon dioxide (CO₂) and it is being closely watched by the United States, where Senators has tabled proposal to introduce a carbon trade. The estimated permit per year for 2008 – 2012 is in the equivalent of about 250 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions. African Union though young has many States that are impoverished by environmental disasters that are related to GHG, therefore, the Union needs a Commission on Environment to articulate environmental issues on regional level and appearing in global forums with a common front just like the EU.

(Source; Waste Management World, ISWA)

Mark and Spencer turns food waste to energy

Mark and Spencer (M&S) makes a remarkable development as it uses food waste to power six of her food stores. This is one of the few commercial projects of its kind in the UK and M&S is the first major retailer to use anaerobic digestion (AD) from weekly collection of kitchen waste to produce energy thus connects renewable energy with the food chain.

The company has planned to buy green power for all of its 600 shops by 2012. A closed household food loop for renewable energy production, linked to M&S sales, could be a long term outcome if the company’s biogas projects develop and are supported by council, and other stakeholders.(Source; CIWM)

USA

Covanta help lights 36, 000 homes with WTE Plant

Covanta Holding Corporation has begun operating the first waste-to-wealth unit built under the US Environmental Protection Agency’s New Source Performance Standards. The new unit expands the Lee County Resource Recovery facility owned by the Lee County, Florida. It will allow the County to convert an additional 636 tons (568 metric tonnes) of municipal waste every day into additional 18 MW of electricity. With this additional capacity, the President and Chief Executive officer of Covanta, Anthony Orlando said they will be able to put light in 36, 000 homes. Waste is increasingly playing recognisable part in the Energy dynamics of Nations throughout the world, the Lee County is a true waste –to-wealth: a transformation of waste to valued and needed energy.

(Source; Waste Management World, ISWA)

CHINA

Beijing Preparing for a “Green” Olympics

Earlier the Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee promised to deliver a Green Olympic. This promise has been reported by the UNEP to come into fulfilment as the Chinese Government has implemented various initiatives and legislation to incorporate environmental sustainability with its rapid economic growth. It has invested in 20 key projects to improve its environment. The new pre-Olympic Beijing features new wastewater treatment plants, solid waste processing facilities, increased forestation and green belt areas, and an improved public transportation fleet. The investment rated as worthy could gain more credibility if lessons learnt and measures adopted are picked up by municipalities across the Country to leave a lasting nationwide legacy according to UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner. With the World Cup two years away, is South Africa working in this same direction? I think that the benefit of this green Olympic replicated will not only be national but would have some global impact. What about the U-17 World Youth Championship Nigeria is bidding to host? Has Nigeria planned to deliver a “Green WYC”? We are no professional in this light, but common sense informs us that such championship is tourism that host Nation plays hard to create wealth from: both in material and non-material form. it is an activity that involves massive number of people and use of materials – it is tourism, and requires being “green” enough for environmental sustainability. Nigeria should not overlook this area if they must host the WYC come 2009.

(Source; Waste Management World, ISWA)

FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL DESK: Waste to Wealth?

Concept is fundamental to development hence concept abused is development denied. Our profession (Waste Management) like any new one is masked with new and diverse concepts including confusing slogans like zero waste, zero discharge, cradle-to-grave, waste-to-wealth, polluter-pay, private sector participation and so on. Some are directly imported from other parlances while others are freshly formulated. Generally speaking, it is all evolving and requires re-construction and revalidation under various contextual matrices. It is also right at this juncture to recognize that some have been internationally internalised and among these is “Waste-to-Wealth” Therefore, my attempt here is not to re-formulate but to properly integrate the slogan; Waste-to-Wealth into our national fabric of knowledge for clear understanding and application. Literally, this means moving waste from a platform of exhausted utility to valuable and desirable level. Its transformation: in engineering, requires some form of energy, and in economics requires factor of production. The latent issue here is that “waste” in itself can never be wealth otherwise generator will never discard it. Likewise, wealth is created. The process of creating wealth has some cost implications that the market forces construe as the price. Also, the delivery of waste management service involves some costs. Therefore, in “waste-to-wealth” two cost elements are at play – the cost of service delivery and that of re-generation or extension of lifecycle. Also two forms of benefit are available – service benefit and new product or value benefit. The source of confusion in the concept of waste-to-wealth is “who bears the two cost and who enjoys the benefits or can the benefit cancel the cost” – this means that the waste manager only delivers services in expectation of recovering cost from the secondary benefit. However, transformation is not in a vacuum and so has a socio- cultural environment allowing availability and cost of technology, and demand for goods to play roles. This means that not all wastes are potentially of secondary benefit. In all, the slogan “waste-to-wealth connotes that waste management operations must transcend delivery of service to provision of goods or value like energy.

The SD principle of Polluter-Pays has reasonably resolved the issue of distribution of cost burden by instituting bases for the internalization of cost of pollution (waste management) in all services and goods in the world market place. The burden lies on the generator regardless of the potential of secondary benefit. This same principle has extended the meaning of waste-to-wealth slogan to provision of employment- provision of means of livelihood.

Today, when waste management service is delivered and cost paid for by the generator (providing employment), it means waste has provided wealth too and can be construed as waste-to-wealth. With this extension, waste management has become not only service but an instrument for fighting poverty. Government should not only conceive waste management as service but a war against poverty and poor living environment for actualization of oneself.

REGIONAL TIT BITS

REGIONAL COORDINATORS ON COUNCIL VISITATION

Regional Coordinators have been directed to visit State Councils in their Regions. The Visit is to explore the different avenues to further develop the Councils. They are expected to produce a working report for the National Executive Council. I am sure our able Regional Coordinators will be up to this task.

UNIDO APPOINT WAMASON REGIONAL COORDINATOR AS CHAIRMAN FOR AFRICA REGIONAL CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE

Dr Sam Anurigwo (WAMASON South East Regional Coordinator) has been appointed Chairman, Management Committee of the ISEPA/UNIDO Regional Centre of Excellence on Environmental Pollution Management of the Interim Guinea Current Commission (IGCC). The Centre of Excellence hosted by the Imo State Environmental Protection Agency is to provide technical guidance and expertise on issues of pollution from land related activities (Municipal, Industrial, and Agricultural) to the 16 countries of the region; establish links with the national focal points in each country appointed by governments to participate in GCLME (Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem) networks; organize working parties, conduct training and present recommendations to the IGCC Programme Steering Committee. The Centre has Environmental Laboratory with state-of-art hi-tech equipment for analytical procedures relevant to host of industries and profession and will serve environmental monitoring assessment in the region. Dr Anuirigwo is currently the Permanent Secretary of the Imo State Ministry of Petroleum and Environment. We say congratulations to our well deserving Regional Coordinator!

COUNCIL CORNER

KADUNA- KADUNA PLANS INAUGURATION

The Coordinator, Mr Ibrahim Yahya has informed the Secretariat of the plan to inaugurate the Kaduna State Council come April. The Secretariat shall inform all members as soon as a date is fixed for it.

RIVERS -ELF SPONSORS RIVERS COUNCIL’S WORKSHOP

Rivers State Council gets sponsorship of their workshop from Elf Petroleum Nigeria Ltd. The theme of the Workshop is ‘Private sector Participation in Waste Management’. Details of the programme shall be communicated to all in due course.

CONTRIBUTION

Improved Waste Management, a Solution to Global Warming and Energy Generation- The America Perspective (E.T. Iriruaga)

The misconception about global warming in North America has been corrected by events over the past years. Surveys have shown that majority of them now believe that global warming is happening and that it has a major influence on weather events. It is believed that reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) from non-industrial source is necessary and that requiring major industries to reduce their GHG emissions can improve the environment without harming the economy. This latter assertion has been confirmed by a report by the Energy Information Administration of the US Department of Energy.

This new understanding of cost and effect of the climate change has led to a number of initiatives (at the Federal, Regional and Local levels) to address the situation. Some of these initiatives include;

Legislative persuasions in the form of Bills on the industrial sector to reduce GHG emissions through a cap-and-trade approach. This means that if your generation is in excess of cap - you buy your surplus and if less you sell your deficit
Legislation directives requiring the US Administration to resume negotiation on the International Climate Change Treaty
Canada ratification and development of National Plan for implementation of Kyoto Protocol
The plethora of suits by States In the US and data centres compelling The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue regulations to control GHG emissions from motor vehicles
Endorsement by Over 500 Mayors of the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement that commits their cities to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their communities
A number of networks and data centres on standards for GHG emissions that are used by participating parties Series of Climate registries has been developed, establishing common data quantification standards for GHG emissions that are used by participating parties
The evolving emission Trading system in US like the Chicago Climate Exchange for corporations, municipalities and other entities

In particular, is the development of Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and Renewable Energy Credits (REC). Currently, 24 States in the US (covering 60% of the national population) participate in the RPS programmes – it require or encourage retail electricity suppliers to provide some amount of electricity from renewable energy source.

Professional in the waste management industry are ethically required to respond to programmes aimed at reducing GHG emissions as their practice has clearly been identified as a factor contributing about 5% of the world GHG emission. They need to be part of this global politics on renewable energy and climate change as the public opinion is fast gaining momentum. The US EPA in a publication provides a summary of how to evaluate strategies for reducing GHG through improved waste management practices. It recommends an approach allowing comparison of GHG emissions for the various solid waste management options using life-cycle analysis. This compares emissions produced due to energy consumption, manufacturing, transportation and the solid waste management and disposal practices. The impact on carbon sequestration and storage would also be considered in the management of organic waste.

Avenues for reducing GHG emissions include; Recovery of energy from solid waste (waste to energy); recovery and utilization of landfill methane as a renewable fuel; and waste reduction, recycling and composting. Looking at waste–to-energy (WTE) for example; WTE refers to the controlled combustion of solid in modern furnace with state-of-the art pollution controls. The energy can be recovered in the form of electricity or steam. WTE offers significant potential for reducing GHG emissions. Combustion of solid waste with energy and generation of electricity in the WTE facility displaces the electricity that would have been produced from electric power plant hence avoids the production of GHG emissions from fossil fuel powered utility. It offsets landfill methane emissions by diverting waste from landfill, recovers and recycle ferrous and non ferrous metal thus reduce energy consumption of manufacturing from virgin resources and reduces GHG emission through recycling. Currently, there are 89 WTE facilities in the US that dispose of 81, 000 metric tonnes of solid waste per day and generate 2700 MW of electricity (enough to supply 2.3 million homes). The US Clean Air Act regulation has ensured that WTE facilities are one of the cleanest sources of power available and US EPA in a report stated that WTE plants are clean, reliable, renewable source of energy that produces electricity with less environmental impact than any other source. More recently, the Federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 defined WTE as renewable energy and provided a tax credit for new unit, similar to the tax credit for electricity produced from landfill gas.Since waste management accounts for about 5% of world GHG, waste mangers are to take advantage of the emission trading and other financial opportunities that are emerging. A recent report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change fully supports the position made in a presentation on improved solid waste management practices in making positive contribution to policies that deal with renewable energy and climate change. The report lists three types of policies and instruments with environmental efficacy as; financial incentives (e.g. tax credit); renewable energy incentives or requirements and; waste management regulations.

(Ref; Waste Management World, ISWA)

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► Event Diary

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For inclusion of your activities or information in our newsletter please send your information through email to event@wamason.org or edith.t.iriruaga@wamason.org

WAMASON NEWSLETTER NO 2

For inclusion of your activities or information in our newsletter please send your information through email to event@wamason.org.

Dear Colleagues,

As concern on the environment, keep increasing especially the issue of waste management, the government is working out means to bring the challenges under control. This is reflected in the review of the national healthcare waste management plan to develop a more comprehensive and practicable strategy in the management of healthcare waste. Also the Federal Ministry of Environment has proposed a bill for the management of environment in Nigeria, this bill is looking at different activities that effect the environment and how their negative impact can be mitigated but waste management was not covered in this bill. This again makes it imperative for WAMASON to work assiduously on the proposed bill for the management of waste in Nigeria.

The Secretariat was delighted to receive document from the Lagos State Council on their reaction to the pipeline explosion in the State. This is quite in line with the vision of the Society and we expect to see more active contributions to challenges in waste management in various States by our Councils. We uploaded in our website (see Members’ Forum) a recent technical paper on integrated waste management, presented by DEL in Rivers State Council Technical Meeting; you could check this out. I wish to note here, that integrated waste management is a current trend in waste management facility development and, we hope to bring something on this from the international scene in our next edition. Meanwhile, this edition contains development on recent advancement in sorting technology.

There are more to find out in this edition and we would be glad to receive contributions from your various fields to publish in our next edition. WAMASON is all about giving information and sharing ideas that will make waste management sustainable. May I end with immense appreciation of all our National officers, Regional officers, State Councillors and their executives, and all out there that make WAMASON real.

Edith.

SECRETARIAT INFO

WAMASON Participates in Review of National HCW Management Plan

The Federal Ministries of Health and Environment in conjunction with development and implementation Partners developed a draft National Healthcare Waste Management Plan which key stakeholders reviewed during a Workshop held in Chida Hotels Abuja from 26 to 28 March, 2007. WAMASON, represented by her National President, Mr R. M. Ossai participated.

The workshop was in response to the poor healthcare waste management in the country and to curtail possible epidemics by separation of healthcare waste from municipal solid waste. The goal of the workshop is to convene a team of experts on Nigeria’s health care delivery and environmental protection in order to develop a realistic and informative plan that will provide for safe management of hazardous component of health care waste.

The expected outcomes in accordance with the mandates of the Ministries of Health and Environment include: 5-year National Action Plan (NAP) for HCWM; National HCWM Regulation and Guidelines (technical); National Policy on HCWM; and Development of framework for setting up of a Technical National Steering Committee for implement of the Action Plan.

For maximum input of participants, they were broken into four technical working groups with different sub tasks. These are (1) Overview of Health Sector in Nigeria (2) Legal and regulatory framework for HCWM in Nigeria (3) Characterization of HCW generated by health sector and characterization of current HCWM practices in Nigeria (4) Analysis of capacities of healthy system to implement safe HCWM.

The Federal Ministries of Health and Environment is currently putting together the works of these Groups for a larger stakeholders’ consideration.

REGIONAL TIT BITS

WAMASON now in North-East Region.

WAMASON now has a regional office in the north-eastern part of the country. With this development, WAMASON has successfully covered the six geographical regions in Nigeria. The regional office is at Adamawa State Ministry of Environment, Yola.

COUNCIL CORNER

Delta

WAMASON Award some with Honorary Fellow of the Society

The Delta State Council of WAMASON is billed to honour some outstanding personalities engaged in waste management activities in the State with her Honorary Fellowship. They include the Hon. Commissioner of Environment, Omordi George Ugbomah; First Special Adviser on Environment, Chief Sobotie and, the First Executive Chairman of Delta State Waste Management Board, Chief Paulinus Akpeki. This event is scheduled to hold in April 2007, watch out.

Lagos

WAMASON urges government on PIA of the Abule-Egba pipeline explosion.

The Lagos State Council of WAMASON has expressed concern over spate of pipeline explosion and the adverse consequences of such acts to pubic health and the environment. Speaking in a press conference, the State Councillor, Dr (Mrs.) Chinwe F. Mogo disclosed that WAMASON’s observatory visit to the site of the recent pipeline disaster in Awori, Abule-Egba revealed that much is needed to be done beyond the evacuation of dead bodies and disinfection after the incident. She expressed WAMASON concern over the left wrecks (disaster waste) on the site that constitute environmental nuisance.

She called on government and other stakeholders to be proactive to disasters and always recognise the work of waste managers in post disaster management.

Kano State

Celebration Time in Kano

It was dancing and eating in Kano State as the Council Secretary celebrated his wedding Fatiha on 31^st of March, 2007 at Filn Galadanci in Kano. Though all members were invited only a couple of them attended. It was colourful and a sight to behold. On behalf of the members of our Society, I wish you and your beautiful wife a happy married life.

Rivers State

The DEL Experience: a matter of integration

A forerunner in the Oil and Gas Industry waste management sector and a corporate member of WAMASON, Delta Environmental Logistics (DEL) has developed a one-stop total-solution waste management facility in Rivers State. It is a cost effective and ecologically responsible Facility that conforms to international norms. The General Manager, Mr Per Sorensen during Rivers Council’s Technical Meeting, took participants through this Facility in his technical paper: ‘Thermal Technology in Waste Management- the DEL Experience’. The facility, commissioned in 2005, comprised of four low temperature Desorption Units (LTDU) capable of treating

70,000 tons of drill cuttings per year. In addition to the LTDU, the Facility has an Incinerator capable of handling hazardous waste including expired chemical. Fixing

DEL, according to the Commercial Manager, Mr Emeka Nkwo, is specific in its target catchments area which is Oil and Gas Sector and this is due to the sensitive nature of the business and the regulatory driving factor the sector. He urged the government to encourage private investment in waste management through enforcement of regulatory framework covering handling of waste to disposal. He further stated that waste has to be commercialised for people to see waste as profitable business to invest in.

Public Convenience in Rivers; MDG Goal in Sanitation

Some newly built public conveniences were commissioned in February 2007 by Rivers State Government in Port Harcourt City. The provision of these conveniences according to the Commissioner for Environment, Dr (Mrs) Roseline Konya, is in line with the millennium development goals of the sanitation sector. She stated that the government was determined to implement it to touch the lives of ordinary people before her vacation office. The Secretary to the State Government, Chief Moses Aduma while officially commissioning the facilities emphasized that the facilities were built for everyone irrespective of status. He urged managers of these facilities to always provide necessary materials for users and appealed to users to abide by the instructions of the managers for sustenance. This project which was described as relief is highly commended by the people.

The Media a vital tool in Waste Management

The National President, Mr R. M. Ossai in an exclusive interview with Tides Newspaper in Port Harcourt, disclosed that the Society has identified the need to carry out more activities with the public using the media as a target and closest tool in redefining public attitude towards waste management. In this plan, he said, various State Councils would develop a strategy called ‘Public and Waste Management’ with the identification of techniques and methods which would be adapted to drive awareness home.

WAMASON in Adamawa

WAMASON’s State Councils increased to seventeen as the Society opened a new State Council in Yola, Adamawa State in March 2007; this development came shortly after the establishment of the North-East Regional Office in the State. Arrangement for the establishment of State Councils’ offices in other north-eastern States is on ground.

INDUSTRY NEWS

NATIONAL

FMEnv packages a National Environmental Management Bill.

Following the increasing concern on environmental issues, the Federal Ministry of Environment has proposed a Bill for the management of Nigerian environment. This Bill when pass into law shall be known as the National Environmental Management Act. It comprehensively dealt with six sub-sectors of Environmental management which includes: Air Quality Atmospheric Protection; Protection and Management of Sensitive Ecosystem; Conservation of Biological Diversity; Protection of Hilly and Mountainous Areas; Erosion and Coastal Management and; Forest Management. However this Bill does not intend to regulate waste management as it does not constitute a fundamental component of the Bill. Only Sections 4(L) Part II and16 (1)(j) Part III loosely mentioned waste management.

INTERNATIONAL

Illegal Waste Dumps found in Hungary.

The Budapest Times reports that further illegal waste dump have been discovered in Bácskiskun County, Hungary in January. At the end of December, several incidents were uncovered of German companies illegally transporting their waste to Hungary and depositing it in remote areas.

The National Security Officers (NBH), apparently, suspects that the so-called ‘eco-mafia’ could lie behind the waste scandal. ‘The secret services warned a year and a half ago that the eco-mafia – criminal gangs who make money from illegal depositing of environmentally hazardous waste - could also threaten Hungary’ according to an analysis by NBH. Hungary is particularly at risk because its regulations in waste disposal are not in line with EU norms, noted the daily Népszava.

The police have found 10 waste dumps with around 3500 bales of waste and so far, eight people have been questioned. The police is investigating two companies, Egál-Bau Bt. and Szinkron 99 kft. Four of the suspects, including the Mayor of Kunbaja and his wife, who is the Managing Director of Sinkron 99kft, are being held in pre-trial detention.

South Africa to commission first Landfill Methane Gas (LMG)

South Africa’s first landfill methane gas to energy will be commissioned at two sites near the city of Durban on the country’s east coast early this year. The landfill gas plants are in the municipal region of eThekwini and will be powered by GE Energy’s Jenbacher generator sets. The plants, at the La Mercy and Mariannhill landfill, will serve as renewable energy reference projects, providing much needed electricity to the grid. The fund from the carbon credits – which was the key to making the project economically viable – also will be used in part for community upgrades.

(Waste Management World, ISWA)

Advances in Plastics and Metals Sorting

Apart from putting back resourceful materials into the system, statistics has shown that recycling can help to cut down environmental pollution with CO₂. . For, example, according to the European Commission’s You can Control Climate Change campaign launched last year, recycling 1 kg of aluminium can save 90% of energy – 9 kg of CO₂ emissions per kilogramme of aluminium. For 1 kg of recycled plastics, saving is 1.5 kg of CO_2. 1 kg of recycled glass, saves 300g of CO₂and recycling 1 kg of paper instead of landfilling it avoids 900g of emissions as well as methane.

With the current trend in countries worldwide to boost recycling levels the significant of effective sorting is apparently increasing. This is because waste in the first principle is a mixture of materials so it is not surprising because it will certainly give rise to better processing and improved product quality. Two leading companies in this field- Pellenc and Steinert – are developing new technologies to maximize the accuracy of sorting waste.

Pellenc Selective Technology

Pellenc Selective Technology (PST) established in 2004, has two principal sorting machines which are; Mistral: sorting by material. The technology can be used for sorting plastics, electronic and electrical waste (WEEE), refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and compost. Sirroco: sorting by colour. This technology is particularly well suited to sorting plastic; as a result, PST has established its name particularly in the field of PET sorting.

The recent development is the capacity to combine these machines into one, termed ‘Bi-technology’. This means the user can calibrate the same machine to sort by material type and colour. Looking at plastics in particular, this recent technology can sort between HDPE, PET and PVC, as well as between plastics bottles of different colours.

Steinert

Steinert in Cologne, Germany is another active name in the field of material separation. It’s new XSS machine makes use of an X-ray source to distinguish between light and heavy non-ferrous metals, organic and inorganic material, PVC and other plastics.

(Waste Management World, ISWA)

First Edition

Celebration Time in Kano

Murtala Badamasi Mohammed (Kano State Council Secretary) celebrates his wedding Fatiha on 31^st March, 2007 at Filin Galadanci, by 11:00 am in Kano.

All National Officers, Regional Coordinators, State Council executive members and all members of WAMASON are cordially invited for this occasion.

WAMASON wishes them a happy married life.

SECRETARIAT INFO

WAMASON Pays Courtesy call on Honourable Minister of Environment

Minister Invites WAMASON to National Council on Environment

EHORECON National Guidelines on Environmental Health Practice comes to WAMASON.

FMENV Collaborates with WAMASON for Training

Expiration of automatic Professional Membership Offer

REGIONAL TIT BITS

South – South: Private Sector Participation in Waste Mgt

COUNCIL CORNER

LAGOS STATE

LAWMA Collaborates with WAMASON in organizing the 1^st Lagos Medical Waste Summit.

WAMASON Nominated as Member of the Medical Waste Technical Committee in Lagos State.

AKWA IBOM

Akwa Ibom State Council losses her Secretary.

INDUSTRY NEWS

NATIONAL

Public-Private Sector Participation, a possible solution to MSW.

Federal Government sets up a new Environmental Standards and Enforcement Agency

INTERNATIONAL

Global Certification of Waste Managers.

WAMASON Pays Courtesy call on Honourable Minister of Environment

The Waste Management Society of Nigeria paid a courtesy call on the Honourable Minister of Environment on the 10^th of October, 2006. The Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, congratulated the Society, after a brief on the Society by the President for the innovative programmes towards professionalizing the waste management sector. WAMASON team led by the President (Mr R. M. Ossai) included the 1^st Vice President (Prof. Oladele Osibanjo), the National Secretary (Mr E. Chukwuocha) and an Ex-officio member, Prof. Dapo Afolabi. He pledges that the Ministry shall support the Society as her programmes are in line with the Ministry’s vision and stated that the Ministry would want to collaborate with the Society in achieving sustainable waste management especially in Environmental laws review, Establishment of a good Environmental Library and, in accessing of fund internally and internationally..

The Permanent Secretary further stated that the Ministry would want to be a member of the Society and also requested WAMASON to submit her blue print on professional training programme and, the proposed National Waste Management Bill for the Ministry’s input. The Ministry promised to also consider the Society as a resource body for EIA reviews and accreditation of Consultants in the Ministry.

Minister Invites WAMASON to National Council on Environment

One of the outcomes of the meeting with the Minister of Environment is the invitation of the Society to the National Council on Environment meeting holding in Katsina from 13^th to 15^th November, 2006. The Society has been requested to present a paper titled ‘Moving Waste Management into the 21^st Century”. This paper can be accessed in the Society’s website.

EHORECON National Guidelines on Environmental Health Practice comes to WAMASON.

The Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), the body charge with the responsibility of regulating environmental health practice in Nigeria sent a proposed National Guidelines on Environmental Health Practice to WAMASON for review. This gesture is in recognition of the Society involvement in some areas of Environmental Health practice. WAMASON is expected to review and make constructive input. The Regulation is aimed at improving standard of service delivery in the various areas of EH practice.

The Council stated that they will formally invite the Society for a stakeholders’ conference where various views will be harmonised for formal registration process for practitioners in line with the Act establishing EHORECON.

FMENV Collaborates with WAMASON for Training

The Federal Ministry of Environment has picked interest in the training programme of WAMASON and indicated her intent to adopt the programme for the continuous development of accredited Waste/Environmental management Consultants. This development led to the cancellation of the October training programme scheduled to hold in the three Training Centres of the Society, as the Ministry requested to make her input in the training courses. Training will be conducted next year in April and October. Details will be published in the Society’s website and National Newspapers.

Expiration of automatic Professional Membership Offer

The resolution of the 1^st joint meeting of the National Council and College of Councillor directing State Councillors and other National Officers to submit the list of all her executive members to the Secretariat for automatic admission into the Chartered membership class shall expire by the 31^st of December, 2006. Council’s that the Officers failed to utilize this opportunity, thereafter shall be treated as fresh applicants and will be required to follow all admission procedures.

South – South: Private Sector Participation in Waste Mgt

First Regional Seminar of WAMASON for 2007 will kick off in South- South Zone. The theme of the seminar is “Strategies for Private Sector Participation in Waste Management”. The date and venue, according to the Regional Coordinator, Hon. Harry Ipalibo, will be communicated to all in due course. The Seminar shall take critical look at the new Federal Government Policy on Waste Management, addressing partnership, financing, cost recovery strategies and development of infrastructure. Regional Seminars is a CPD requirement for professionals and it is mandatory for all members in the region to participate.

COUNCIL CORNER

LAGOS STATE

LAWMA Collaborates with WAMASON in organizing the 1^st Lagos Medical Waste Summit.

Lagos State held her 1^st Medical Waste Summit on the 19^th of October, 2006 organised by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority in collaboration with Civil Societies and professional bodies amongst which are the Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON), African Children Renaissance Project, WELLCHILD Promotion Organization, Eplass Nigeria, Public Health Consultants from ICH & PC, LUTH and Action Family Foundation.

The Summit was in response to the earlier attention WAMASON drew to the poor medical waste management and its inherent dangers to public health and the environment in Lagos State. The aims of the summit according to the GM, LAWMA, Mr Ola Oresanya (who is also a Honorary Fellow of WAMASON) in his welcome address are to; Launch community-based education on appropriate medical waste management in the State; Provide situation analysis of current medical waste management in the State and its health and environmental implications; Mobilize stakeholders as advocates for collective action towards sustainable and safe medical waste management and; Provide opportunity for strategic networking among stakeholders in different intervention areas of medical waste management.

The keynote address delivered by the Hon. Commissioner for Environment, Barr. Tunji Bello pointed out the danger and health hazards inherent in the poor and unsustainable medical waste management and the need to check it to avoid the outbreak of epidemics. The presentations included a documentary on medical waste scenario in Lagos and report on the situation is on the unsustainable methods of medical waste management by generating facilities. Mr E. Itua (Secretary, WAMASON Lagos State Council) asserted that it is on record that the government cannot tackle the challenge of waste management alone and encourage all to support the government. He emphasized that a holistic approach that recognizes solid, liquid and gaseous emission is required for a meaningful medical waste management. Overview of Health-Care Waste Management in Other Countries was presented by Mr. Allan Rotman of the World Bank Institute, where he highlighted the different management systems in Caribbean Islands, Armenia, India, Iran, Victoria Island, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.

The event drew a large numbers of various professionals in the public and private sectors of the economy including Hon. Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi

Ikuforiji represented by Hon. Dr. Babatunde, Chairman House committee on Health services, Commissioner for Health Dr. Tola Kasali, the Federal controller, Lagos office, Mrs Olufunke; Deputy Director, Chemical and Toxic Waste Management of the Federal Ministry of Environment; Director, Environmental Services Dept., Dr. (Mrs) T. Anibaba

WAMASON Nominated as Member of the Medical Waste Technical Committee in Lagos State.

Following the success of the first Lagos State Medical Waste Summit and the immense contribution of WAMASON, Lagos State Council to it, the Council has earned a seat in the Technical Committee on Medical Waste Management. The Committee was inaugurated on the 28^th of November, 2006.

AKWA IBOM

Akwa Ibom State Council losses her Secretary.

WAMASON regrets to announce the passing on of the Secretary of Akwa Ibom State Council, Mr. Mbuk Essien. He died in October after a brief illness. Until his death, he was the Publicity Secretary of National Population Commission of Akwa Ibom State and was a former Secretary of the Nigerian Environmental Society. He was buried on the 23^rd of November, 2006 in his home town Ikot Odoro in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area. We pray God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

INDUSTRY NEWS

NATIONAL

Public-Private Sector Participation, a possible solution to MSW.

The Federal Government in her bid to proffer lasting solution to the seeming insurmountable problem of municipal solid waste is promoting a private sector driven municipal solid waste management under a public-private sector arrangement. Under this arrangement, the States will partner with private investors, who will build, operate and own an integrated waste management infrastructure which shall encompass Material Recovery facility, Composting Plants, Medical Waste Incinerator and Hazardous Waste Landfill. The government will provide land for the development of the landfill and transfer stations and infrastructure such as access roads and utilities as part of its 20% equity participation; assist the investor (on request) in setting up cost recovery machinery and; ensure the enforcement of relevant laws and check unauthorized dumping of waste.

The Federal Ministry of Environment is calling for pre-qualification from suitable partners in this regard (see Punch, December 14, 2006 publication).

Federal Government sets up a new Environmental Standards and Enforcement Agency