Waste Recycling: UNILAG Generates N5m From Innovation; Reveals Plan To Start Collaboration

Senior Environmental Engineer, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Mrs Sade Nubi, has disclosed the amount that has been raised by the institution through its recycling initiative.

According to Nubi, while speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Cape Coast, Ghana at the ongoing Africa Cleanup conference, the institution has realised about N5 million from waste generated by the university community.

Recall, the recycling centre was established in 2015.

Nubi also added that the university generates about 32.2 tons of wastes monthly from its 97,000 population including visitors.

She said;

“We try to make sure that the school environment is clean, we make sure that we sensitize people to know that an we can create wealth from waste.

“For UNILAG, despite the initial challenges of funding and negative attitude towards the initiative, we still moved ahead beyond the challenge to push forward and achieve our goal. 

“We have been able to recycle as much as 23 tons of waste every month. We have recycling companies as partners who come to buy our waste.

“We have been able to create income for the institution as well as employment,” 

Nubi advised other institutions in the country to key into the recycling project and add value to their community.

“For other universities it is important for us not to just dump our waste at dump site or landfill, let’s put value to it by getting people to sort it and recycle. 

“We also carry out research work. We can now categorise our waste which includes more of plastic bottles. 

“We have been able to raise between N4 and N5 million for the institution since the inception of the initiative and employ about 50 workers at the sorting centre in the institution.’’

Nubi said UNILAG was ready to collaborate with other institutions on the recycling project, so as to generate funds, create employment and add value to the education sector.