A Non-governmental Organisation, Jewel Environmental Initiative (JEI), has urged government and stakeholders to invest in waste recycling to tackle environmental pollution while creating employment opportunities for youths.
The Chief Executive Officer of JEI, Mr. Ismail Bima, made the call in an interview in Gombe on Monday.
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He said the call became imperative in view of the huge volume of waste generated and the inability of government and other stakeholders to harness the value chain in waste management.
Bima added that investment in recycling facilities was capable of converting waste into reusable products, addressing environmental sanitation challenges and boosting government revenues at all levels.
He urged government to establish small-scale recycling plants that could help reduce plastic and nylon waste in the country, particularly in Northern Nigeria where plastic/nylon pollution is becoming alarming.
“Waste recycling addresses critical environmental sanitation challenges by diverting waste from the streets or other sources, reducing pollution and turning potential environmental hazards into valuable resources.
“Here in the North, we have little or no company recycling plastic/nylon waste into other products. Gombe State has only one company that recycles sachet water plastics into other products.
“Establishing small-scale recycling plants will reduce environmental hazards, generate revenue for government and curb the rate of unemployment.”
The executive officer, however, said that high cost of transportation had resulted into decline in waste collection and transportation to other parts of the country where they are being recycled.
Bima explained that the high transportation cost had affected waste collection by youths, resulting in increased plastic wastes in drains and other sites.
The environmentalist stated that his organisation had trained 30 people in 2025 on how to convert sachet water plastics into interlock pavements.
“We have also trained women on using garden waste to set up gardens in their houses. We have also trained them on how to manage waste water in homes for gardening activities” he said. Enviro News
