AEPB tasks residents on proper waste management

By Ayoni M. Agbabiaka

The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has urged residents and business operators in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure proper use of waste bins and avoid throwing waste in the rain in order to sustain a clean and healthy environment as the rain begins for the year.

The Board through its Head of Information and Outreach Programme, Joe Ukairo, explained that nothing worries the waste management like emptying waste bins into the drains.
He said that rainy reason can be challenging period to city management and public health, due to speedy putrefaction and possibilities of urban flooding.

He, therefore, advised residents to procure and use litter bins with fitted covers to protect stored garbage from the rains, to reduce the speed of putrefaction and emission of offensive odour.

He said: “Now that the rains are here, the residents need to cooperate with the agency, in keeping the city clean. The major issue here is some residents don’t have waste bins that have cover to shield their outstanding garbage from the weather element of rain.
“When it rains, there is the tendency to absorb the waste and makes it heavier; and it decompose faster and smells more, that’s why residents should cover their waste bins properly,” he said, urging them to desist from throwing trash from vehicles.

“When we throw our trash from our cars on the floor, it affect the environment and when rains falls it pushes all the bottles, pure water sachets to the drainage and blocking the drainage is the commonest way of urban flooding.”

“The waste will be heavier now and the matter of evacuation will be slower, If residents are receiving two service in a week, it may turn out to be only one service; and when the service providers do not come at the right time, residents should not empty their trash, rather they should be able to package it properly”, he said.