WASTE MANAGEMENT IN BENIN METROPOLIS IN

THE ERA OF CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

BY

DR. E.K. ORHORHORO (COREN REG., MNiMechE,

MNSE, MIAENG, MNIPES)
THIS REPORT WILL COVER;

 UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF CORONAVIRUS

 CORONAVIRUS CASES OVERVIEW

 EFFECT OF CORONAVIRUS ON WASTES GENERATION &

MANAGEMENT IN BENIN METROPOLIS

 POLICY RESPONSE AND IMPLICATION

 CONCLUSION
 WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS?
 Coronavirus is a new strain of a virus that first emerged in
Hubei province in China in late 2019.

 Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses and can cause the

common cold in humans.

 New strains of coronavirus can jump from animals to humans

to cause disease

 Predominant spread by respiratory droplets (e.g. someone

coughing) and contact (hands → surfaces → eyes and mouth)
 COMMON SYMPTOMS OF THE VIRUS
Common symptoms of COVID-19 include:

 Cough- This can be any kind of cough, not just dry cough

 Fever (High temperature – 37.5 degrees Celsius or above)

 Difficulty in breathing, with or without fever

 Fatigue
BASIC HYGIENE AND PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES TO
CURB THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS
 Hand sanitizer/soap and water

 Cough into elbow/tissue

 Physical distancing

 Stay home if feeling unwell

 Encouraging face masks for suspected cases

 CORONAVIRUS CASES OVERVIEW

 First index case was reported in Nigeria on 27th

February 2020

 WHO announced on 12 March 2020 that COVID-19 is

a pandemic.

 Since the declaration of coronavirus infectious disease

as a global pandemic by WHO, its progression in
countries around the world has been rapid.
 The statistics of the cases and casualties have
been alarming (Table 1-2).
Table 1. Coronavirus cases overview in Edo State, Nigeria, and Worldwide
Table 2. Statistics of Coronavirus cases overview in most Nigeria
affected States
Although, there was a major breakthrough in managing the pandemic
especially in the last quarter of the year 2020, but the second wave of
the pandemic call for speedily measure in Nigeria knowing her poor
waste management policy.

Figure 1. Statistics of reported cases from 31st May 2020-24th January 2021 (Source: Nigeria
Centre for Disease Control)
 EFFECT OF CORONAVIRUS ON WASTES GENERATION
& MANAGEMENT IN BENIN METROPOLIS
There is a major environmental concern because of the surge in the
demand for and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Figure 2. Covid 19 personal protective equipment not properly disposed in Benin Metropolis
STATISTICS OF MSW GENERATION IN BENIN
METROPOLIS BEFORE COVID-19 OUTBREAK
Table 3. Average Percentage Composition of Solid Waste Generated Per Household
 Food Waste (FW) Plastic and Rubber Waste (PRW) Paper Waste (PW)
Glass Waste (GW) Metal Waste (MW) Other Waste (OW)
4% 3% 2%
6%
10%

75%

Figure 3. Percentage Composition of Household Solid Waste in Benin Metropolis

With population of Benin Metropolis estimated as
1,782,000 by UN world population prospects for the
year 2021

4500000

4000000

3500000

3000000

4090224.6
2500000

2000000

1500000
1224590.4
1000000

500000

0
SWGPHH SWGPP

Figure 4. Estimated daily waste generated by household and person in Benin Metropolis
 Waste generation is expected to increase in Benin Metropolis
due to covid-19.

 More so, failure to properly manage the waste generated from

health facilities and households may escalate the spread of
covid-19 via community transmission.
 The virus can remain viable for up to 72 hours on plastic and
metals, up to four hours on copper, and up to 24 hours on cardboard
(WHO, 2020).

 Poor and inadequate waste management strategies within Benin

Metropolis (Figure 3) will contribute to a higher threat of
community spread of COVID‐19.

Figure 3. Open Dumpsite, Lucky Way, Benin City, Nigeria

 Thus, with indiscriminating dumping of wastes in open dumpsites,
market environment and nearby bushes, there could be serious
consequences for residence of Benin Metropolis if standard waste
management practice is not urgently adopted.

Figure 5. Waste management hierarchy

Waste management is critical to human development and health
outcomes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Figure 6. Collection of generated wastes for disposal in United Kingdom (U.K)

Figure 7. Collection and disposal of in Benin Metropolis
 POLICY RESPONSE AND IMPLICATION
 Due to the overwhelming tonnes of waste generated during
the lockdown, it was expected of the Edo State governor to
tackle the level of illegal waste dumping but that was never
the case.

 More so, the covid-19 pandemic has triggered a zero-waste

approach.
 Unlike the current practice of waste management via
open dumpsites in Benin Metropolis, the zero-waste
approach encompasses the conservation of all
resources by means of responsible production,
consumption, reuse and recovery of products,
packaging and materials without burning, and with no
discharges to land, water or air that threaten the
environment or human (ZWIA 2018).
However, to curb community spread in Benin Metropolis;

 Standard waste management practice should be adopted.

 Adjustments of recycling services to incorporate safety

measures that contain the spread of the virus in the
collection, treatment and disposal of waste is urgently
required in Benin Metropolis.

 Waste pickers within Benin metropolis should be

properly enlighten of covid-19.
 CONCLUSION
With the increasing community spread and impact of the novel
covid-19 pandemic on economic development and health
outcomes of the populace of Benin Metropolis, there is an
urgent call for standard waste management practice. This will
in effect mitigate the potential threats of the virus on
environmental sustainability and health outcomes.
 REFERENCES

DCCAE. (2020). Funding ring fenced to tackle illegal dumping during covid-19. Retrieved
from https:// buf.ly/3cb4ehx

Zero Waste. (2020). Zero waste europe statement on waste management in the context of
COVID-19. Retrieved from https://buf.ly/3etbmHg

ZWIA. (2018). Zero waste defnition. Retrieved from https://buf.ly/33Uy7C1.

THANK YOU