Promoting Zero-Waste Initiatives

In response to the worsening impacts of waste on human health, the economy, and the environment, the world yesterday (March 30) marked the inaugural International Day of Zero Waste, which encourages everyone to prevent and minimise waste and promotes a societal shift towards a circular economy.
Established through a United Nations General Assembly resolution that followed other resolutions on waste, including March 2, 2022, UN Environment Assembly’s commitment to advance a global agreement to end plastic pollution, the International Day of Zero Waste is facilitated by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
The Day calls upon all stakeholders, including governments, civil society, businesses, academia, communities, women, and youth, to engage in activities that raise awareness of zero-waste initiatives. The International Day of Zero Waste aims to bring the multitudinous impacts of waste to the world’s attention and encourage global action at all levels to reduce pollution and waste.
Humanity generates well over two billion tons of municipal solid waste annually, of which 45 per cent is mismanaged. Without urgent action, this will rise to almost four billion tons by 2050. Waste comes in all forms and sizes, including plastics, debris from mining and construction sites, electronics and food. It impacts the poor, with up to four billion people lacking access to controlled disposal facilities.
In its resolution to establish the Day, the UN General Assembly underlined the potential of zero-waste initiatives and called upon all stakeholders to engage in “activities aimed at raising awareness of national, subnational, regional and local zero-waste initiatives and their contribution to achieving sustainable development.”
Promoting zero-waste initiatives can help advance all the goals and targets in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including Sustainable Development Goal 11 on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable and Sustainable Development Goal 12 on ensuring endurable consumption and production patterns.
During International Day of Zero Waste, member states, organisations of the United Nations system, civil society, the private sector, academia, youth and other stakeholders were engaged in activities aimed at raising awareness of national, subnational, regional and local zero-waste resourcefulness and their contribution to achieving sufferable development.
In Nigeria, efforts to mitigate global warming are dragging because of a lack of recycling culture among its citizens, according to waste operators in the country who warned that the trajectory was hazardous to health outcomes in Africa’s most populous nation. In line with a United Nations Industrial Development Organisation report, Nigeria generates over 32 million tonnes of waste annually, with plastic accounting for 2.5 million tonnes.
The country has to focus on climate education by teaching children in primary and secondary schools how to manage the waste they generate. Waste compensation management organisations should be leveraged to entice the adults whose habits are hard to change. Government policy is also a fundamental driver of curbing waste in the ecosystem. Our nation needs to be proactive.
Sadly, Nigeria is among the top 20 nations that contribute 83 per cent of the total volume of land-based plastic waste that ends up in the oceans. According to a World Bank report, each Nigerian generates about 0.51 kilogrammes of waste daily. It is forecasted to rise to 107 million tonnes by 2050.
We have to maintain awareness and sensitivity on how to salvage this situation. The focus should be on waste as heaps of electronic refuse are found in landfills in Nigeria. These are toxic to our health and the ecosystem. We need to open our minds for the survival of humanity and the entire planet.
With the first-ever International Day of Zero Waste launched, Nigeria must join other countries in stepping up its waste management efforts through proper waste collection, processing, and recycling. With a population of over 200 million people and despite having several waste management policies and regulations in place, Nigeria has a poor rating in terms of waste administration.
The country ranked 162 among 180 countries in the 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), which compares the environmental performance of those countries. Hence, Nigeria must introduce initiatives which encourage community members to drop off used plastic bottles and containers at designated recycling points. The federal and state governments, as well as manufacturers and consumers, must show more commitment towards sustainable management of post-consumer recyclable waste in the country.
There is every need for the authorities to encourage public-private partnerships to help drive sustainable waste management practices through recycling and waste reduction programmes. Tenable waste management is crucial to Nigeria’s future. International Zero Waste Day is a reminder to step up advocacy to promote viable waste management practices.