LAWMA to deploy 150 new compactor trucks before year-end

The Lagos Waste Management Authority has announced that out of the 3,000 compactor trucks of different sizes and capacities expected to arrive in the state within the next three years to strengthen waste collection and evacuation across the state, 150 will be delivered by the end of this year.

LAWMA added that 150 of the new compactors, which includes tricycle compactors designed for narrow streets and hard-to-reach communities, forms part of the first phase of the procurement programme.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, made this known on Tuesday while inspecting the ongoing rehabilitation of Road E at the Olusosun Disposal Facility to evaluate the progress of the project.

The Director of Public Affairs at LAWMA, Mukaila Sanusi, disclosed this in a recent statement obtained by The PidomNigeria.

Gbadegesin described the project as a critical intervention aimed at improving access to the facility and accelerating waste evacuation across the metropolis.

“The Lagos State Government had concluded plans to acquire 3,000 compactor trucks of different sizes and capacities over the next three years to strengthen waste collection and evacuation across the State. About 150 of the new compactors, including tricycle compactors designed for narrow streets and hard-to-reach communities, are expected to arrive before the end of the year as part of the first phase of the procurement programme,” he added.

Gbadegesin noted that the state requires no fewer than 2,000 operational compactor trucks to effectively manage the volume of waste generated daily, stressing that the new fleet would improve service delivery, strengthen the operations of private sector participants and expand waste collection coverage across the state.

He further disclosed that the modern transfer loading station model would be replicated across Lagos as part of the state government’s long-term strategy to modernise waste management infrastructure, reduce haulage distances, improve operational efficiency, lower transportation costs and support the gradual transition from landfill-dependent waste disposal to a more sustainable waste management system, driven by resource recovery and the circular economy.

While appealing to residents for continued understanding and cooperation, the LAWMA boss assured them that the current waste evacuation delays were temporary and would gradually ease as the rehabilitation of Road E progressed, additional operational platforms became available, and the state’s ongoing investments in modern waste management infrastructure began to yield results.

He reaffirmed LAWMA’s commitment to delivering efficient, reliable and sustainable waste management services, while commending Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his continued investment in modernising Lagos’ waste management system through strategic infrastructure development, fleet expansion and innovative partnerships.

The LAWMA boss reiterated that the temporary delays being experienced in waste evacuation across parts of Lagos will soon ease following the ongoing rehabilitation of Road E at the Olusosun Disposal Facility, which is expected to restore seamless access for waste collection vehicles and significantly improve evacuation operations.

He disclosed that the rehabilitation, being undertaken by Zoomlion Nigeria as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, would enable compactor trucks to access the disposal facility with greater ease, reduce turnaround time and enhance operational efficiency.

Gbadegesin explained that the recent heavy rainfall had significantly affected access to the Olusosun disposal facility, hampering the movement of compactor trucks into and out of the site and contributing to the temporary delays in waste evacuation experienced in some parts of Lagos.

He expressed confidence that the ongoing rehabilitation of Road E would restore seamless access to the facility and substantially improve waste evacuation across the state.

According to him, Olusosun currently receives approximately 10,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste daily, making it one of the busiest waste disposal facilities in Africa and underscoring the importance of maintaining uninterrupted access to the site.

He explained that while the Lagos State Government remained committed to decommissioning the Olusosun disposal facility, the exercise would be implemented as a carefully managed process to avoid disrupting waste management services across the state.

Gbadegesin stressed that the facility could only be fully decommissioned after adequate alternative infrastructure had been put in place to accommodate the enormous volume of waste generated daily, noting that shutting it down without viable alternatives would create serious operational challenges.

He identified the construction of two modern transfer loading stations by Zoomlion at Olusosun and Solous III as one of the major alternatives being developed to support the transition.

He explained that each of the new facilities would process “2,500 metric tonnes of waste daily, representing about twenty times the capacity of the existing Simpson Transfer Loading Station, and would significantly improve the efficiency of waste transportation across the State.”

The LAWMA boss added that the agency was also creating additional dumping platforms within the Olusosun disposal facility to improve traffic flow, minimise waiting time for compactor trucks and further enhance operational efficiency pending the completion of the new transfer loading stations.