Lagos — The consumption habits of modern consumer lifestyles are causing a huge worldwide waste problem. This is having a devastating impact on ecosystems and cultures throughout the world.

The enormous increase in the quantum and diversity of waste materials generated by human activities and their potentially harmful effects on the general environment and public health, have led to an increasing awareness about an urgent need to adopt scientific methods for safe disposal of wastes.

In Lagos state alone, official statistics show that about 7,000 metric tonnes of waste are generated daily amounting to about 2,555,000 metric tonnes annually. While there is an obvious need to minimise the generation of wastes and to reuse and recycle them, like the waste-to-wealth project of Lagos state, where waste is being successfully converted to fertiliser, the technologies for the recovery of energy from wastes can play a vital role in mitigating the problems.

Besides the recovery of substantial energy, these technologies can lead to a substantial reduction in the overall waste quantities requiring final disposal, which can be better managed for safe disposal in a controlled manner while meeting the pollution control standards. Some alternative energy companies are developing new ways to recycle waste by generating electricity from landfill waste and pollution.

This technology as applied to Nigeria would be useful in many folds. Besides solving the great waste management crisis which has built an imposing edifice in Nigeria, it would also provide adequate power for businesses/households. Erratic power has been identified by experts as the most critical impediment to Nigeria's progress. By 1985, the combined production efforts of all the power plants in Nigeria stood at 2,785 mega watts and this was expected according to the fourth development plan to double every three years. Thus, by 2009, just three months away, Nigeria's energy output would have been at least 22, 280 megawatts to effectively provide adequate power for the population growing at geometric progression. But rather, electric power generation declined to below 1000 mega watts (MW) as at May, 2008 according to the Tribune Newspaper of May 7, 2008.

Besides, the fact that waste generates energy and could be a succour in the energy if effectively harnessed, perhaps with other renewable energy sources like wind and solar energy, wastes by products in the process of converting it into energy can also produce several tones of fertiliser and several cubic feet of water for irrigation all year through and if properly treated, could be used for drinking.

Putting the waste to energy technology into proper perspective, Dr. Abe Moghadam, President/CEO International Commerce and Communications (ICC), USA, in a presentation to the Government of Nigeria at the Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health of the Ministry of Environment, Abuja, sometimes in February 2008, said waste to energy solutions will address the following, "unreliability of current power supply; inability of current power supply to keep up with increasing demands across the country; current high cost of creating additional power and production capacity from traditional sources; growing problems of effective and environmentally sound waste disposal; increasing ground and air pollution from indiscriminate dumping and burning of municipal waste constituting high risk to public health."

He explained that the technology is hinged on "the beneficial reuse of an already problematic waste stream; production of much needed power from a clean energy source with added by-products in a pollution free process." This is because the technology, "of the gasification conversion process is that nothing is burned - only gasified, and it is that gas that is used to produce power."

According to Moghadam, "the technology is Kyoto compliant, meeting ISO standards, economically viable power generation and high level of reliability in respect of technology/ multiple side benefits such as cleaner air, ash/fertilizers and water."

The technology has been deployed effectively in the USA , Dubai and other countries to generate power and fertiliser, he noted.

ICC, with Karkara Rapid Development Nigeria Limited (KRD), Organic Energy Commission Company (OECC), USA and Golf of Guinea Consultancy Limited, Abuja , he said, are exploring opportunities of building similar wastes to energy plants that could produce at least 30 megawatts of electricity for willing state governments. The plants, he told the FG, would also produce fertiliser and water.

Dr. Moghadam highlighted that the technology delivers "green energy while reducing impact on climate change and global warming normally attributed to this industry (power generation)", adding that the "technologies enable conversion of otherwise environmentally harmful waste into economically valuable commodities and green energy."

The process, according to him, "involves collection and separation of waste, preparation of feed stocks (shredding), create Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), transmission of RDF to syn-gasses and feed syn-gasses into power generation."

Also, he assured that "the technologies have very high levels of reliability and multiple side benefits (clean air, ash/fertilizer, water for potable use or irrigation and where used tyres are in abundance, diesel oil of at least a gallon and a half per tyre) can also be a by-product of this technology."

The 30 megawatts (mw) plant is capable of producing a minimum of 262.8 million kilo watt hours per annum.

To be continued.