A professor of Electrical Engineering in the University of Ilorin, Yinusa Adediran, has advocated enforcement of legislations regulating hazardous waste disposal, particularly, spent lead-acid batteries.
He said part of the measures ,manufacturers of such vast products must be made to pay prepaid disposal fee that could be used to finance collection, transportation, and recycling of batteries, as well as ascertain extent of provision of information, particularly, for promotion of return of batteries.
Delivering 188th inaugural lecture of the university, titled, in “the realm of telecommunications, reliability and quality engineering”, Professor Adediran said there was no local or state law that strongly drives proper disposal of spent lead-acid batteries in Nigeria.
The university don said widespread use of lead acid batteries takes a toll on the environment and added that batteries disposed in municipal landfills and trash incinerators can disperse significant amount of heavy metals and other toxic substances into the air and water.
“Electronic waste has been a source of concern to developing countries because of the health hazards it poses to the environment; and, no serious efforts are being made to control the situation in Nigeria.
“Therefore, battery waste prevention and recycling strategies are essential.
“The legislation regulating hazardous waste through the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Environment appears very appropriate, but the enforcement is not there. Attention is rather focused on oil spillage and toxic waste discharges”, he said.
