There’s a report on Thursday about a fire incident at the Olusosun Ojota refuse dumpsite located within a shouting distance of the seat of the Government of Lagos State. Records will show that this is not the first time such an event had occurred. The major difference this time round is the magnitude of the loss suffered by the operators of the dump and their neighbours, LAGBUS, which runs the bus-based Lagos Mass Transit. So many vehicles were said to have been burnt in the runaway inferno.
According to online news portal, Sahara Reporters, “The fire which started at about 4pm on Wednesday was allegedly caused by A FLARE ON THE DUMP which quickly spiralled out of control.” (Emphasis mine)
I believe that the managers at this and any other dumpsites are fully aware of the fact that an organic dumpsite is a sitting time bomb. Unless properly capped with layers of impervious imported soil, with safety release vents, the whole place reeks of methane and other noxious gases. It is in the nature of things for Spontaneous Ignition to occur, what with lightning and other events. Then again, the huge and hot exhaust pipes on the operational vehicles, which should have heat dissipators like in refineries and gas processing complexes, must have been left without necessary safety modifications. We are talking industrial safety here. The rules don’t change simply because we are dealing with a refuse dump.
The Lagos State Government and indeed LAWMA fully understand the nature of the beast that they are up against. In the past year or so, they have been boasting about their foray into renewable and alternative gas energy resources with their ability to harvest landfill gas for electricity generation. How then could they have continued to run the dumpsite without any indication that they have benefitted from knowledge in their possession? I hate to presume to teach somebody who obviously already knows.
In the final analysis, the Department of Petroleum Resources, despite its serial failures and bad reputation, should be able to help in planning to prevent a recurrence. The issues involved are right up its alley.
My recommendation, however, is that the Ojota dumpsite be closed as soon as possible. At least, three new and bigger ones will have to be developed in different directions of the compass. The necessary Environmental Impact Assessment must include input from the Geological Surveys (if any still exists) in order to reduce if not eliminate the contamination of ground waters by dump leachings.
Oduche Azih,
Isolo, Lagos state
