13 refers to waste-to-energy, which is the conversion of waste materials that cannot be recycled into heat energy, electrical energy or fuel under certain conditions and processes (US EPA, 2017). Energy recovery from municipal solid waste is an alternative energy source which is environmentally-friendly and equally contributes to increased power generation. For example, a study about energy recovery from an incineration
plant in Libya by Agll,
et al (2014)
showed that energy recovery from the plant can save the consumption of fossil fuel, reduce greenhouse gas emission, and contribute to increased energy supply to supplement local energy need.
2.3.5 Disposal The
Directive refers to this as, any operation which is not a recovery process and makes a list of such operations in annexe Ito include, landfill, land treatment,
deep injection, etc. whereas the US EPA (2017) classifies this last step as, treatment and disposal because it believes that treatment can reduce the volume and toxicity of the waste prior to disposal. Although the waste hierarchy has been widely adopted in developed countries as the basis for the formulation of waste management legislation and policy as we have seen in the European Union, the USA and Canada (O’Brien, 2008), it has nonetheless attracted some criticisms, for example,
Gharfalkar,
et al (2015), noted that while it advocates the avoidance
of waste disposal by landfill, it is inadequate at reducing consumption of natural resources, and rather than presuppose reduction, it should be mainly prevention. Ewijk & Stegemann (2016) equally raised issues like limited specification and the absence of a clarity between open-loop and closed-loop recycling among a few other issues. The question of whether the knowledge of the waste hierarchy in a developing country like Nigeria has been translated into action as it is widely implemented in developed countries remains an issue begging for an answer. Ina study in northern Nigeria, Awopetu,
et al (2012), in testing the knowledge of residents about the 3R’s-reduce, reuse and recycle (components of the waste hierarchy) observed that over 65% of the total of 560 respondents in the three zones assessed confirmed their awareness
that waste can be reduced, reused and recycled. In the same study, over 73% admitted that they are aware of the benefits of waste reduction but unfortunately, this knowledge is inconsequential if it is not put to beneficial use. Several studies which highlight unsustainable waste management practices in Nigeria (Agbesola, 2013; Ndubuisis-Okolo,
et al.,
2016; Abila & Kantola, 2013; Kofoworola, 2006; Batagarawa, 2011) have suggested that policy review and awareness campaigns aimed at improving
environmental behaviour, among other
13
14 things are fundamental steps toward finding away out of the present indiscriminate dumping of wastes across Nigerian cities.
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