NOVEMBER 1, 2019

DIGITAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL SYSTEM

USING MOBILE APPLICATION IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL
TERRITORY OF NIGERIA

Handong Graduate School of Global Development & Entrepreneurship

Degree: Master of Science in ICT convergence

MARTINS ADEDOKUN
21947005
21947005@handong.edu
Abstract
Waste and improper waste handling is a significant challenge to developing nations like
Nigeria in the past decade. Studies show that improper disposal of waste has given birth to high rate
of morbidity and mortality in a developing society.
Waste is generally known to be generated from range of human and animal activities,
production processes to consumption stage and the management of waste has been a major problem in
developing countries where generation of waste per unit of output is much higher than that in the
developed countries because of inefficiency in manufacturing processes.
Furthermore, corruption at all levels in a society like Nigeria is another major predicament
toward sustainable development and effective integrated Digital Solid waste management system in
Nigeria. Proper awareness of the citizen toward economic value of waste produced by them can
contribute immensely to the proper handling of waste by the people and it will create a greener
environment, employment opportunities and generate revenue to the government.
Therefore the aims of this project is to do a study on Digital Solid waste monitoring platform
across many countries and see how it has been used and how it can be adopted in Nigeria, different
measures need to be considered in order to establish sustainable and effective Digital Solid waste
management system in Nigeria and the capital as this case will be.
In this project different literatures will be reviewed and analyzed to give the theoretical frame
work a concrete foundation to complement the purpose and objectives of the research work. Let me
indicate that the study will use both qualitative and quantitative approach for vital information to be
extracted from the different countries that already adopted the digital system . The research will show
that sustainable and Digital waste monitoring can as well be achieved in Nigeria if there is proper
plan, effective environmental policy and cooperation between Government, private sectors, partners
and the citizens.

Keywords: Digital waste system, waste management, waste control, solid waste, digital system,
digital and sustainable development, clean environment, citizen participation, mobile and web.
Chapter One: Introduction
What is Solid Waste?
According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, Solid waste means any
garbage, refuse, sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, water supply treatment plant, or air
pollution control facility and other discarded materials including solid, liquid, semi-solid, or contained
gaseous material, resulting from industrial, commercial, mining and agricultural operations, and from
community activities, and any other activities in the entire area.
In simple words, Solid waste are any discarded or abandoned materials. Solid wastes can be
solid, liquid, semi-solid or containerized gaseous material. Examples of Solid wastes includes; waste
tires, septage, scrap metal, garbage, latex paint, old furniture and toys, appliances and vehicles, oil and
anti-freeze, empty aerosol cans, paint cans, compressed gas cylinders, construction and demolition
debris and the likes.
Solid waste is a vital responsibility of the area council government and one of the greatest
challenges facing urban authorities like the Federal capital territory today, with the amount of waste
generated exceeding their capacity both technical and financial to collect and dispose of solid waste
can also have significant negative effects, with impacts on the environment and health. Uncollected
and mismanaged solid waste provides breeding ground for vermin and insects that proliferate and
contribute to air and water-borne diseases. Unsanitary disposal often leads to escaping leachate
causing further contamination of ground water and soil resources, while open burning leads to release
of toxins and particulates such as black carbon. Emissions from waste management and disposal
represent a growing percentage of urban greenhouse gas emissions. Action to reduce these impacts
will be critical as waste generation is growing faster than any other environmental pollutant, including
CO2, particularly in the developing regions where waste represents a larger share of overall
emissions.
Digital waste management is all about using social media and web as a tool to report and
track the level at which garbage are being collected by the governments and individuals responsible
for collation in each area. Technology and digitization have created business opportunities for Waste
Management beyond its traditional trash collection business. Using expertise developed using mobile
software and platforms like physical asset management and GPS-fleet tracking capabilities, Digital
Waste Management can now be carried out in a way that company can design and manage a logistics
business that designs fleet-optimization, time management, citizen participation and tracking solutions
for its customers. Similarly, it is a way of making more money efficiently and it makes running the
waste management business more profitable.
Using mobile application in reporting cases of overflowing bin, burning containers and
littered area will help the contractors in charge of packing garbage keep up with task knowing in
advance the areas that need more attention and leaving the area with less debris to be packed. This
also increases citizen participation in the development and forwardness of the society.

Problem Statement
According to report done by bioenergyconsult.com Nigeria with a population close to 200
million is one of the largest producers of solid waste in Africa. Nigeria generates more than 32 million
tons of solid waste annually, out of which only 20-30% is collected. Reckless disposal of waste has
led to blockage of sewers and drainage networks, and chocking of water bodies. Most of the wastes is
generated by households and in some cases, by local industries, artisans and traders which litters the
immediate surroundings. Improper collection and disposal of municipal wastes is leading to an
environmental catastrophe as the country currently lack adequate budgetary provisions for the
implementation of integrated waste management programmes across the States.
Also according to another report by the United Nations Habitat Watch, African city
populations will more than triple over the next 40 years. African cities are already inundated with
slums; a phenomenon that could triple urban populations and spell disaster, unless urgent actions are
initiated. Out of the 36 states and a federal capital in the country, only a few have shown a
considerable level of resolve to take proactive steps in fighting this scourge, while the rest have
merely paid lip services to issues of waste management indicating a huge lack of interest to develop
the waste sector.
This has posed a great threat to life as people dump waste anyhow and unchecked. This

Objectives of Study
Automating the activities of the waste sector can significantly contribute to the creation of
new jobs, mitigate environmental and health impacts and improve the economy as a whole. The
digital management of solid waste is commonly the largest single budget item for cities and often one
of the largest sectors of employment. Poorly managed waste has significant impacts on health, as well
as on the local environment and the global environment (e.g. greenhouse gases emissions, water
quality, soil health, biodiversity). Improperly managed waste commonly results in the necessity of
adopting higher cost solutions (i.e. remediation) as compared to the solutions that could manage the
waste properly.
Automating the waste sector therefore help in documentation for future use as it will clearly
monitor the tons of waste and the different types of waste collected from different areas. It also makes
the citizen actively participate in the delicate issue of cleaner environment.
There is a need to change the mindset that considers solid waste a liability and develop a
mindset and vocabulary around Digital Solid waste as a potential resource for generating economic
activities, diversifying risk, creating jobs and improving the environment and human welfare. In order
to shift the paradigm, long-term waste management and control strategies, specific to the federal
capital territory are needed. The long-term digital waste management strategy should cultivate a new
culture that advocates the use of mobile and web applications to report and track waste collection,
integration of waste avoidance, minimization, recycling, reuse, and reporting of dirty areas such as
markets so that swift responses are enforced.

Significance of the Research

Whilst waste management systems have evolved over decades, the uptake of new software
technologies for improved and efficient waste collection and transportation services is a relatively
new phenomenon. Without proper data collection and management systems, it is challenging to have
a sound, transparent waste strategy. Cities have begun to acknowledge this and are leapfrogging with
the adoption of software technologies to manage solid waste and create a database of knowledge to
generate further positive changes.
Digital Solid waste management will not only help to get authorities in charge of packing
refuse or garbage alone but also monitor the daily activities undergone and data from this can be used
in the future for allocations of new trucks for areas with more waste and deallocation of resources to
areas with less waste generated. It will also help in engaging the citizen to contribute their quota by
reporting and helping ensure a cleaner and healthier environment.
Chapter Two: Literature Review
A key factor driving the growth of the Solid waste is the increase in urbanization. There has
been an increase in urbanization worldwide owing to the growth in the global population, improved
standards of living, availability of better facilities, and infrastructure in the federal capital territory
compared with rural areas. Hence, the increase in urbanization results in an increase in the amount of
solid waste generated as waste collection rates vary with income levels across the state of the
federation. Countries with high-income levels have a higher solid waste collection rate compared with
low-income countries. However, the significant increase in the amount of urban waste generation will
result in high environmental pollution, which will adversely affect people in urban areas.
Thus, the birth of efficient Digital management of Solid waste is crucial, and this increase in
urbanization is expected to drive the growth of the global solid waste management market during the
forecast period. As it is known that the solid waste is actually a by-product of human activities
commonly called trash or garbage, it can only be controlled when managed well and the people
contribute to using mobile platforms to report cases of burning debris or an overflowing debris left
unattended to.
China has overtaken the USA as the largest waste generator with an annual waste generation
of 190 million tons in 2004 and a projected 480 million tons by 2030 (Minghua et al., 2009).
Population growth, changing lifestyles of people, development and consumption of products with
materials that are less biodegradable constitute serious challenges for municipal solid waste
management in various cities of the world (Asase et al., 2009). Emerging kinds of waste including e-
waste and polythene/cellophane materials are presenting an enormous challenge to the already
overwhelmed waste management authorities. The quest to maximize profit and ease conveyance has
given rise to a new tradition of disposable packaging. Nowadays, consumable products come in
disposable packs which end up as waste. Unfortunately many of these packages are non-
biodegradable and at the same time, of little interest to scavengers. The need for waste disposal has
given rise to the proliferation of open dumps which constitute a grave environmental and health
hazard.
Municipal solid waste management in developing countries is often characterized by
inadequate service coverage, operational inefficiencies, limited recycling activities, inadequate
management of non-industrial hazardous waste and inadequate landfill disposal (Asase et al., 2009).
Over one billion people living in low income communities and slums lack appropriate waste
management services (UNU-WIDER, 2010). Sankoh and Yan (2013) observed acute solid waste
disposal problems in Sierra Leone as available facilities cannot keep pace with increasing rate of solid
waste generation. Assa (2013) observed that waste generated in Lilongwe City, Malawi has exceeded
infrastructural capacity of the city council which has culminated to degeneration in the quality of solid
waste management. Hai and Ali (2004) also highlighted the pathetic state of solid waste service
provision in Bangladesh. In India, solid waste management is poorly developed (Saha et al., 2010)
and has become a major environmental challenge (Devi et al., 2014). In Kenya, waste collection
systems are inefficient and disposal systems are not environmentally friendly such that 30-40 percent
of all solid waste generated in urban areas is uncollected and less than 50 percent of the population is
served (Gakungu et al., 2012). In India, only 50 percent of refuse generated is collected, 33 percent in
Karachi Pakistan, 40 percent in Yangon Burma and 50 percent in Cairo Egypt (UNU-WIDER, 2010).
Several research efforts have been invested in municipal solid waste management in Nigeria.
Some of the studies were scientifically implemented, while others were haphazard and shallow.
Individual researchers have approached the subject with a specialization-oriented bias, thus
addressing only those issues which are of interest to them. Nonetheless, each of these studies has
contributed a fraction to the knowledge of solid waste management in Nigeria. This paper is an
attempt to galvanize many of the findings of different researchers, including those of the author, into a
comprehensive report on solid waste management in Nigeria.
Nigeria is a developing country grappling with so many challenges, not the least of which is
the menace increasing municipal solid waste. In the past two decades, solid waste in Nigeria has been
increasing both in quantity and diversity. The stages involved in municipal solid waste management
are: generation and storage, collection and transfer, sorting, treatment, material recovery and disposal.
 The burden of waste collection and disposal is so overwhelming that hardly any thought is
given to other aspects of waste management. Asase et al. (2009) observed that reuse and recycling of
waste materials is carried out on an informal basis. It is therefore safe to infer that the status of waste
management in any country is an indicator of the level of development. In fact, Sha’Ato et al. (2007)
observed that there is a direct link between poverty and the state of the environment. However, as
important as waste management is, it is usually relegated to the background and ranked after health,
employment, education, water, food, urban infrastructure and security. According to UNU-WIDER
(2010), solid waste management in developing countries has received less attention from policy
makers and academics than that paid to other environmental problems.
The significant growth in the amount of solid waste generated worldwide, and its adverse
impact on the environment and human health have created the need for appropriate waste
management systems. Waste management techniques such as incineration and recycling, and stringent
solid waste management regulations are some major factors that are driving the growth of the global
market,” says a senior analyst at Technavio.
Urbanization, industrialization, a growing population and economic development all
contribute to increased loads of MSW, the treatment of which is complex and potentially hazardous to
people and the environment. The total amount of solid waste generated globally is estimated at 1.3
billion tons per year and is expected to increase to approximately 2.2 billion tons by 2025 (Hoornweg
and Bhada-Tata, 2012).
Prevention and reduction of waste should be a high priority for every state in Nigeria, even
though it is capital inclusive and the goal of this research is to get everyone involved. Improving the
environment and keeping the society healthy should be the common goal of everyone.
According to researches done, I found out that Empirical economic research has also emerged
in developing countries. Using contingent valuation method (CVM) surveys, households in three
squatter Malaysian villages are estimated to be willing to pay $3.42 per month for regular waste
collection rather than having to discard waste in streets or transport waste to area open dumps (Murad
et al., 2007).
Similarly, using 200 CVM surveys low-income households in Nigeria are estimated to be
willing to pay $1.70–$1.80 per month for regular waste collection (Fonta et al., 2008). Willingness to
pay for basic MSW collection in both of these areas is estimated to increase with household income.
Thus, establishing proper collection and disposal methods appear to be the primary concerns in
developing countries. Developing strategies to increase recycling are not yet policy concerns.

Percentage of various materials that compose MSW on a mass basis (U.S. EPA, 2006b)
Chapter Three: Brief Methodology
Some of the important published works used in this research includes the following. Sha’Ato
et al. (2007) conducted a comprehensive study of municipal solid waste in Markudi a state in Nigeria
between July and August 2003 following the methodology proposed by Cointreau (1982). This
research was sponsored as part of DFID’s state and local government program.
The scope of work covered include: characterization of solid waste, determination of rate of
solid waste generation for low-density, medium-density and high-density residential areas. Abah and
Ohimain (2010) conducted a risk assessment and composition study of solid waste dump in Eneka
Port Harcourt based on the method proposed by Kurian et al. (2005).
Afon (2007) undertook a year round study of solid waste generation and composition in
Ogbomosho based on the methodology proposed by Cointreau (1982). The study, conducted in 2004
involved the use of 718 structured questionnaires to determine factors affecting solid waste
generation.
Ogwueleka (2009) conducted a country-wide study from April to October 2007, using nine
representative cities (Lagos, Maiduguri, Kano, Ibadan, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Nsukka and
Abuja the federal capital territory). The instruments of data collection used were: review of literature
on solid waste management in Nigeria; private waste management firms and staff of municipal waste
management authorities; majorly it was a desk research because all the materials were gotten on the
internet.
Dauda and Osita (2003) studied solid waste management in Maiduguri from January to
March 2002. They used a combination of questionnaires, interviews, interest group discussion and
field study to execute the research.
Akpen and Aondoakaa (2009) used questionnaires to study solid waste disposal practices in
Gboko. Waste generation rate was determined by direct weighing of waste at selected homes for three
consecutive days.
Adewumi et al. (2005) investigated solid waste generation and composition in five
southwestern states of Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo. They used questionnaires to determine
waste generation rates while solid waste composition was determined at waste disposal sites with a
total of 20 sampling exercises at each dumpsite.
Chapter Four: Analysis and Findings
Solid waste characterization is an important aspect of municipal solid waste management
because solid waste composition varies with location. Factors affecting solid waste generation rates
were identified.
Typically, food waste was found to constitute close to 50 percent of overall municipal solid
waste in Nigerian cities. This study shows that the rate of generation of plastics, water proof materials
and diapers has assumed an upward trend. Due to the dysfunctional state of many municipal waste
management authorities, many cities have been overrun by open dumps. For instance, more than 50
percent of residents of Maiduguri in northern Nigeria and Ughelli in southern Nigeria dispose of their
waste in open dumps. Indiscriminate disposal of waste has also resulted in the preponderance of toxic
heavy metals in agricultural soils and consequent bioaccumulation in plants as well as groundwater
contamination.
According to Gidarakos et al. (2006) who observed that solid waste composition varied in
different regions of Greece, the composition of waste generated depends on seasonal, lifestyle,
demographic, geographic and legislation impacts. It plays a major role in waste handling,
material/energy recovery and final disposal. It has long been determined that developing countries
generate more of organic waste than developed countries.
According to UNU-WIDER (2010), organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW)
generated in developing countries is about three times that generated in developed countries. For
many cities in Nigeria, OFMSW can constitute as much as 50 percent of solid waste generated (see
Table II). Generally, the composition of municipal solid waste is considerably dependent on the
source and age of the waste characterized.
In Nigeria, the most representative solid waste sample can be obtained directly from source
namely: households, offices, market stalls. This is important because of the dynamics introduced by
the activities of scavengers. Scavengers grossly alter the composition of municipal solid waste as it
transits from source to the final dumps via open dumps. It is therefore, an aberration to conduct
municipal solid waste characterization studies based on samples obtained from transfer stations, open
dumps, landfills or waste disposal vehicles.
While this approach may work in developed countries where scavengers are non-existent, it
usually leads to misleading results in developing countries. To this effect, Lisa and Anders (2008)
noted that proper choice of solid waste sampling source is crucial before embarking on municipal
solid waste characterization study. They suggested that local seasonal variations in waste generation
should be considered, and each sampling exercise should cover at least one full week. It has also been
observed that municipal solid waste samples obtained from disposal sites are usually made up of
mostly compostable materials and other materials with little or no value to scavengers, such as paper,
polythene, broken bottles, diapers, dust/ashes, etc.
In a survey of homes in Nsukka Metropolis, we found that solid waste consists of food (47
percent), nylon (11 percent), paper (6 percent), plastic, glass, metals (4 percent each) clothes 3 percent
and others (19 percent). Abah and Ohimain (2010) found that municipal solid waste in Port Harcourt
had an average biodegradability fraction of 0.807 and a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 27:1. This suggests
that incorporating composting into the programmes of municipal waste management authorities will
help in reducing the quantity of waste to be disposed, in addition to yielding financial benefits.
According, to Lade et al. (2012), nylon and dust together constitute more than 50 percent of solid
waste generated in Bodija market, Ibadan.
In Nigeria, the traditional packaging material in markets is the polythene bag. Waste
polythene is also beginning to pose a serious threat to municipal solid waste management in Nigeria
as a result of popularization of sachet water. Besides, many companies have now resorted to
polythene packaging in order to make their products affordable to the poor. Though this material is
highly recyclable, only a small fraction is actually recycled.
This results in an ever increasing quantity of polythene released into the environment with the
attendant effect of drainage blockage, clogging of farmlands and fueling of wild fires. Another
emerging and very important waste item is the disposable diaper. The replacement of reusable nappies
with disposable diapers has also led to an increase in the amount of solid waste emanating from
homes. Disposable diapers usually contain super adsorbent materials made from sodium polyacrylate
which has been purported to be carcinogenic and a predisposing factor to childhood asthma and
respiratory diseases.
These toxins are easily leached by rain into the groundwater. A characterization study we
conducted at a disposal site in Nsukka shows that over 75 percent of waste consisted mostly of
diapers (34 percent), food waste (21 percent) and polythene (21 percent) after scavengers had
retrieved most of the recyclable items. Besides, fines (dust, sand and ashes) can constitute up to 30
percent of solid waste emanating from institutions and commercial centers. Table II shows that fines
constituted 36.96 and 36.4 percent of solid waste from business premises in Ibadan (Lade et al., 2012)
and Makurdi (Sha’Ato et al., 2007), respectively.
The reason for this is not farfetched. Many roads and open spaces in Nigerian cities are not
paved. We observed that when wastes are gathered together by sweeping before disposal, the abrasive
effect of the broom detaches soil particles from the ground.
In developing countries like Nigeria, the activities of collection, processing and redistribution
of solid waste are usually done by scavengers with poor facilities and little training or education
regarding the risks associated with their jobs although there are private companies that hire them for
cheap labour but also provide big trucks for the operations, which include significant potential health
impacts. Thus improving the labour conditions in the solid waste sector is vital and can be achieved
by several means, including the prohibition of child labour, the provision of personal protection
equipment (i.e., gloves, safety shoes, protective clothes) and the provision of trainings and work-
shops to raise worker and society awareness of risks and possible solutions.
Hence, the reason for this research which is based on management and control of how waste
are being packed and the entire routine automated using an application which does the monitoring and
calculate when a dustbin gets filled up and how the waste management office respond swiftly to
notifications of available bin to be disposed. As we can see in the figure below. In the next fifteen
years tons of debris will increase from 1.3billion tons/ year to 2.2 billion tons/year.

Municipal solid waste quantities (Hoornweg and Bhada-Tata, 2012)

Solid waste management is a challenge for city authorities, primarily due to the increasing
generation of waste, the burden it places on municipal budgets, the lack of understanding of a
diversity of factors that affect waste management and of the necessary linkages to enable effective
function of the entire handling system. The basic challenges that must be overcome for
implementation of a successful solid waste management system include:
Complexity of waste management: Solid waste management is a multi-dimensional issue
that engages multiple stakeholders. Cities in general seek equipment to find solutions to the diversity
of problems they face. But a successful waste management system must consider technological
solutions along with environmental, socio-cultural, legal, institutional and economic linkages. It also
needs to accommodate citizenry participation and awareness that can be prevalent amongst the public.
Involvement of multiple stakeholders: Waste management involves many stakeholders with
different and sometimes conflicting interests. A detailed understanding of whom the stakeholders are
and the responsibilities they have in the waste management structure is required to establish an
efficient and effective system. Effective communication amongst the different stakeholders is
important for establishing a well-functioning waste management system, particularly in developing
country cities. As there will be need for a central system that involves all the participating players.
Institutional challenges: Many countries, particularly the solid waste departments, are
understaffed and lack the relevant skills to manage waste. This limited capacity to handle solid waste
often leads to unconventional methods of disposal, which include open dumping, burning and
landfilling. There is a significant need for the country to invest in capacity building, both in terms of
number and quality of staff resources and skills. Also the need for awareness and campaign of the
new mobile platform to be widely spread.
Illiteracy level: Solid waste services will be extended to everyone through the use of mobile
application, but not everyone is literate enough to operate mobile phone talk less of taking pictures of
refuse dump and filing complaint online. The government should organize trainings for people who
are not technologically inclined and there should be a separate USSD code that can be sent to notify
the waste bin collecting office of the overflowing debris or a burning refuse bin..
Cooperation of Government with Partners: As the law will be passed by the government
agencies in charge of waste management there need to be a sort of cooperation between the partners
which include the private sector in charge of packing the garbage
Investment from both Government and private sector: Solid waste management is a
multi-million sector that can turn the economy of a country like Nigeria around if the proper measure
are taken, as we know that waste can be used to generate electricity when channeled through the right
process. The government must be willing to cooperate with private partners in driving this.
Penalty for offenders: It is critical to produce a reliable law or document showing that
offenders will be punished if laws of waste management are violated. Decision-makers must be well
informed about the situation of the cities in order to make positive changes, developing integrated
waste management strategies adapted to the needs of the citizens.
Chapter Five: Proposing new system
The new system will be what was utilized in Mozambique’s capital city, Maputo, which is
home to over 1.2 million people (United Nations, 2017). Maputo residents generate an estimated
1,000 tons of waste daily (Stretz, 2012). Urban planning challenges associated with poor road
maintenance causing limited access to parts of the city have placed a strain on equitable waste
management services across the municipality.
In 2014, UX Information Technologies (UX) began development of a participatory service
monitoring system, MOPA, to strengthen accountability for the city’s waste management services and
optimize customer relations. MOPA is an inclusive smart-city platform that stores, analyses and
distributes reports submitted by residents through USSD, SMS, a free mobile app and an
accompanying website.
Basically the residents takes pictures of irregularities concerning waste and send it to the
designated authorities which in return makes swift response and rectify the problem.

The figure below shows how the new system works, If a citizen identify any problem, they take a
picture of it and send a report which will be received in the waste management office and the workers
will be dispatched to attend immediately to the problem, after that a notification of the feedback will
be sent to the resident that reported the problem, incase of multiple report or complaint, they will also
be notified of the existing notifications.
Here is the summary of what happens in the figure above, Citizens sends picture through the mobile
application or USSD/SMS and then the Digital platform receives and process the information which is
in turn sent to the waste management worker on duty and then a feedback will be sent to the resident
that reported the case. It has helped in resolving a lot of waste issues in Mozambique and it has been
adopted in some other countries. Hopefully if the Municipal authority in Nigeria approves this, it will
help in resolving the dirty environment issues and then the application can be modified to work on
other areas like health, traffic and water management.

Recommendations
In order to address the challenges mentioned above and reap the multiple benefits of a sound
Digital waste management system, a number of key good practice approaches have been identified
and if well followed will lead to an efficient system. These include:

• Expand sanitary waste disposal and landfill management

• Encourage the citizenship participation in using the digital platform
• Develop the monitoring app for use
• Develop infrastructure for waste utilization
• Integrate waste management and social inclusion
• Promote innovation in waste collection services
• Support development of market economy for waste recycling
• Use digital mapping to manage solid waste
• Ensure and implement integrated waste management systems

1. Expand sanitary waste disposal and landfill management

Open dumpsites, still in use in some cities around the world, cause pollution through open burning,
leachate infiltration and spread of toxic chemicals. They also adversely affect health and the quality of
life of the people living in the general vicinity, and of waste-pickers dependent on them for livelihood
and survival. It is critical to phase out open-burning dumpsites as one of the key pillars of sustainable
solid waste management and switch to sanitary controlled-disposal landfills. One key consideration
while replacing existing open dumpsites with sanitary landfills is to make the waste-pickers part of
the solution from the beginning of the project.
2. Encourage Citizenship participation in using the digital platform
Citizens should be urged to actively participate and cooperate in helping report cases of burning
containers or overflowing bin containers, there should also be a reward system for citizens that make
prompt reporting of incidences.

3. Develop the monitoring application for use

Resources should be put together for the development of the application and it should be rolled out
into the community where people will be trained on how to use the application for the benefit of the
entire community.

4.Develop infrastructure for waste collection services

Considering that landfilling is not a long-term option for waste management, in particular in
megacities where space for landfills is limited, energy demand is high and landfill-to-city distance is
long, robust waste utilization infrastructure, such as waste-to-energy or composting plants, has to be
developed. This approach combines sustainable waste treatment with the generation of local, reliable
energy or resources, creating additional value for waste materials.

5. Integrate waste management and social inclusion

When designing solutions for waste management issues, it is important to ensure that their effects are
sustainable over the long-term. In developing cities, with age-old informal waste handling systems, it
is often counter-productive to completely replace these with new highly automatized technologically
mature versions. There are multiple benefits of incorporating informal solid waste management
infrastructures into new solutions, such as the regularization of informal waste pickers, thus
improving their living standard and promoting participatory waste management. Such adaptations not
only promote social well-being and financial efficiency, but also contribute to the creation of public
ownership for the waste management.

6. Promote innovation in waste collection services

Innovative strategies for improving collection efficiency can help cities reduce significant municipal
costs and free finance for other projects. In today’s competitive waste management market, customers
want a wide variety of collection options at competitive rates. The solid waste management collection
services in many cities have evolved to meet those expectations. Cities can achieve greater success
through system improvements such as new technologies, better collection vehicles, new methods of
routing, and innovation in contracting mechanisms.

7. Support development of a market economy for waste recycling

Establishing local systems where waste materials can be recycled or reused to fully harness existing
outlets -- in addition to identifying and developing new, reliable and stable markets for recycled/
recovered materials in cities -- is key to creating a sustainable waste management system with high
valuation for materials. Achieving greater local recycling and reprocessing capacity in cities will also
lead to several other benefits, such as job creation; reduced waste transportation (with its associated
costs and environmental impacts); greater self-sufficiency and resilience of the waste management
system; and greater public confidence and participation. A successful domestic recycling market will
provide visible evidence of a successful recycling system, thereby strengthening public confidence in
the environmental benefits of recycling and drive forward participation.

8. Use digital mapping to manage solid waste

Whilst waste management systems have evolved over decades, the uptake of new software
technologies for improved and efficient waste collection and transportation services is a relatively
new phenomenon. Without proper data collection and management systems, it is challenging to have
a sound, transparent waste strategy. Cities have begun to acknowledge this and are leapfrogging with
the adoption of software technologies to manage solid waste and create a database of knowledge to
generate further positive changes. Databases are needed in every society to help work and correct so
many issues, unavailability of data has affected Nigeria as a whole.
9. Ensure and implement integrated waste management systems
A sustainable integrated waste management policy brings together waste prevention and reduction, re-
use of goods, recycling, and waste recovery. A strong integrated solid waste management combines
different technologies to offer targeted waste processing options for all diverse waste categories. The
integration of the different processes and combination of pre-processing, mechanical and manual
sorting, recycling and power-generating technologies offers important synergies and economies of
scale that would be unreachable if employed individually.

Conclusion

From the foregoing, the rate of solid waste generation varies with season and this is the more
reason why it will work out well if the residents are participating in reporting cases to the waste
management office. It will reduce the time and effort of going to places that don’t have refuse and it
will maximize the opportunity of visiting the place where refuse collection is more urgent.
The largest proportion of municipal solid waste in most Nigerian cities is contributed by
households. In most cases, as much as 50 percent of solid waste generated is organic in nature. With
this amount of organic waste, adopting better waste disposal and digital practices will result in
improvement in the status of municipal solid waste management, in addition to providing financial
benefits and employment opportunities.
The major hindrances to efficient solid waste management are poor funding, poorly trained
manpower, inadequate equipment, inadequate dumping sites, inaccessibility to some collection
centers due to unpaved or narrow streets, lack of maintenance of operational equipment, lack of
precise guidelines and laws relating to solid waste management, ineffective collection technique and
disposal. Between 30 and 60 percent of wastes is not collected. Households that are not served by
waste management agencies dispose of their waste by unconventional means, some of them throw it
in a drainage whenever it is raining and it can block canals leading to flooding..
This prevailing situation can be arrested by educating residents on the dangers of improper
disposal methods, and by ensuring that every household is served by either public or private waste
management agency and are ensured that they participate in reporting inconsistencies, burning
containers and overflowing waste bins. Waste collection efficiency can be increased by using smaller
collection vehicles that can access areas with poor accessibility, expanding existing facilities,
establishing collection points close to every neighborhood and increased participation of the private
sector.
Most importantly, citizens should participate in making the environment clean and healthy,
this will go a long way in making the waste management office work effectively and efficiently.
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