A waste and environmental sustainability expert, Olufemi Idowu-Adegoke, has identified poor plastic waste management as a major cause of flooding in Lagos.

Mr Adegoke, however, called for a transition from a disposal-driven system to a circular economy anchored on recycling. He disclosed his views on Tuesday in Lagos.

Mr Adegoke said Lagos generates over 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, with plastics such as sachet water sachets, nylon, and bottles accounting for a significant portion that often ends up in drainage channels, canals, and lagoons.

He noted that during rainfall, these materials block water pathways, leading to flash flooding across the city.

“Plastics are lightweight and non-biodegradable. When not captured by recycling systems, they are easily washed into drains and remain in the environment for decades,” he said.

According to him, capturing between 30 and 50 per cent of plastic waste would significantly reduce flooding and environmental degradation.

“Every plastic bottle recycled in Lagos is one less blockage in the drainage channel and one less flood trigger,” he said.

Mr Adegoke noted that efforts by the Lagos Waste Management Authority have been partly effective but structurally limited in driving large-scale recycling.

He acknowledged that the agency has built a strong institutional framework since its establishment in 1977, including waste collection systems, regulations for private sector operators, and sustained public awareness campaigns.

He added that recent initiatives, such as material recovery facilities, partnerships with recyclers, and educational programmes, have increased awareness of recycling.

Mr Adegoke, however, stressed that the outcomes remain weak due to policy and system gaps. He disclosed that plastic recycling rates in Lagos remain between three and six per cent, while other recyclable materials record less than five per cent recovery.

He added that only about 40 per cent of total waste generated is formally collected, leaving large volumes to end up in drains and the environment.

“The system is still largely ‘collect, transport, and dump,’ with heavy reliance on landfill sites instead of recycling,” he said.

Mr Adegoke identified weak enforcement of environmental policies, lack of mandatory waste sorting, and limited economic incentives as major constraints.

“Lagos does not lack policies. It lacks consistent enforcement, economic incentives, and system integration. Lagos is approaching a tipping point with the rising population and consumption,” he said.

He called for an urgent scale-up of recycling through coordinated actions across policy, infrastructure, finance, and behaviour.

According to him, the state must adopt a recycling-first approach, decentralise infrastructure across communities, and strengthen community-based recovery systems.

He stressed the need to formalise and empower informal waste workers through registration, licensing, and social protection.

“These actors are the backbone of recycling and must be recognised as part of the green workforce,” he said.

Mr Adegoke called for stronger economic incentives, including deposit return schemes, expansion of extended producer responsibility, and tax credits for recycled materials.

He also advocated import duty waivers on recycling equipment and increased investment in local processing capacity, such as bottle-to-bottle plants and plastic manufacturing systems.

(NAN)