Lagos State Government has launched a mini effluent treatment plant that will determine toxicity in industrial waste water before being released into the atmosphere. It is meant to aid industries without capacity to test their effluents and industrial, hazardous wastewater by inaugurating.
Speaking at the handover at Alausa, Ikeja, which also featured the unveiling of an air monitoring station located at six locations, a digital e-Library and a hybrid vehicle, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, said the new additions would empower the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) to be better positioned to perform its regulatory roles.
He said in the past when industrial concerns sought the help of LASEPA to assist in analysing effluents, the agency could not respond as quickly as it should, adding that some industries even went beyond board of releasing such effluent into the atmosphere without seeking the advice of the agency.
Bello said: “This mini effluent plant came about because of the need to treat wastewater and leftover samples of industrial wastewater from LASEPA’s laboratory. It is regrettable that LASEPA, which has the responsibility for protecting the environment, lacked an acceptable means of treating wastewater until now.
“He said the public were also not unmindful that with such scenario, LASEPA would have compromised its status as the environmental policeman that ran afoul of the same law it sought to enforce.
The commissioner said things can only get better for the residents because there is also room for expansion of the capacity of the mini effluent plant in case request for usage increases geometrically such that Lagos State will maintain its leading role in environmental management in Nigeria as the Centre of Excellence.
He said the Lagos State Environmental Protection Law 2017, under the relevant sections, empowered LASEPA to survey and monitor surface, underground and air, land and soil environments to determine pollution levels in them and collect baseline data.
“Bello hailed the World Bank for partnering the government through LASEPA for the provision of quality air monitoring stations located at six locations.
He said the air quality measurement stations located at LASEPA headquarters, Alausa, Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Lekki, Abesan Estate, Ipaja, University of Lagos, Akoka, Jankara,
Lagos Island and Ikorodu will measure the air quality across its locations and aid better policy formulation on the environment in the state.
