In a major step towards sustainable waste management, the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has announced plans to permanently close the Olusosun and Solous landfill sites in Igando, transforming them into renewable energy stations.
The move aligns with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s agenda to address environmental and health concerns related to the dumpsites.
Speaking at a one-day Stakeholders’ Forum on Sustainable Waste Management, held at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, LAWMA’s Managing Director, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, disclosed that the closure and waste evacuation would begin in December 2024 and continue over 18 months.
The project aims to convert the high volume of solid waste into energy, reducing the environmental impact of traditional landfills.
“We’ve partnered with ZoomLion, a Ghanaian company, to establish material recovery facilities. These facilities will transform the landfill sites into energy stations by covering them with geotextiles, installing solar panels, and constructing transfer loading stations at both Olusosun and Solous,” Gbadegesin explained.
“The recovered waste will be processed at newly constructed material recovery facilities in Ikorodu and Badagry, where it will be sorted into metals, plastics, and other recyclable materials,” he added.
The initiative also includes a two-bin programme for households and businesses, promoting separation of organic waste from recyclable materials.
The forum aimed to engage stakeholders in supporting the government’s “Adopt a Bin” initiative, which seeks to increase the state’s recycling efforts from 8% to over 20% within the next three years.