Resource recovery from wastes will curb pollution, create jobs, strengthen Nigeria’s economy – Don
pannigeriannews
2 min read
By Sunday Adepoju
A don at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomooso, Nigeria, Professor Mujidat Omolara Aremu, has canvassed resource recovery from waste valorization as part of the solutions to the increasing global need for resource and waste management issues.
Professor Aremu, fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE), stated that the overall goal of resource recovery would help create employment opportunities for the youths, investment opportunities, new products, new markets, among others.
She said resource recovery, which is the process of extracting valuable materials from wastes, could help to conserve natural resources, reduce landfill wastes and create new products from recycled materials thereby building a more sustainable and circular economy for the country.
The professor of biochemical engineering made this known while delivering the institution’s 60th Inaugural Lecture Series titled “Good-Bad-Better Again: Paradox of Bioengineering in Waste Valorization for Resource Recovery” on behalf of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at The Great Hall, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, yesterday, under the chairmanship of Professor Rasaq Olatunde Rom Kalilu, the Vice Chancellor of LAUTECH.
Professor Aremu explained that the overall goal of resource recovery from wastes is to support Sustainable Development Goals 6 (clean water and sanitation), 7 (affordable and clean energy) and 11 (sustainable cities and communities), saying that conversion of wastes into valuable products like biofuels, biopolymers and bio-products, thereby minimizing landfill reliance and greenhouse gas emissions.
The scholar emphasized that resource recovery approach enhances safety by mitigating environmental risks and fosters cleaner and low-pollution cities, contributing to the country’s circular economies and sustainable urban development.
She said, “Efficient resource utilization through technological changes, innovations and effective management approaches will promote credible environmental management systems.
“Promotion of the reuse and repair of discarded products or their components, through the establishment of accredited repair and reuse centres and networks, especially in urban centres will create employment opportunities, investment opportunities, new products and markets.
“The waste treatment awareness campaigns and the provision of financial assistance to small and medium-scale enterprises through established business network is germane. The transition from a production-centred model to re-use and repair needs to be pursued in a participatory way. This will require a collective effort all layers of the society, thereby strengthening the links among policy makers, manufacturing companies, and civil society.
While dwelling on research and collaboration, Professor Aremu advised, “As a developing third world country, Nigeria should concentrate her research efforts on applied research. Through applied research, a lot can be done to upgrade process efficiency and improve the quality of products and goods using ‘affordable technology’ and ‘informal technology’ for our self-reliance.
“There is no one solution that fits all; industry and academia need to collaborate to better the already bad situation. This can be achieved through the design of concrete research proposals and ideas via degree projects and pilot studies, while industries need to provide unrestrained access to their laboratories and facilities.”
