LAWMA uges children to continue 'Waste for Food' programme

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has urged children in the metropolis to continue in the ongoing `Waste for Food ' programme after resumption of schools.The Waste for Food programme is an initiative by LAWMA and a restaurant, Tastee Fried Chicken, in which children are encouraged to return empty plastic bottles at a dumpsite and collect food vouchers.Mrs Tolulope Adeyo, the Manager, Recycling Department of the authority, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) In Lagos that children should be environment friendly by protecting the ecology through proper waste disposal.Adeyo said that the waste for food initiative, which started on Aug. 8, had achieved its objective of sensitising children on the need to maintain a healthy environment.She said that the response by the children had been encouraging and the interaction had led to children submitting PET bottles to the Olusosun dumpsite for recycling.According to her, about 30 children come daily to drop their 5kg bag of PET bottles in exchange for lunch tickets at Tastee Fried Chicken.Some of the children said that they enjoyed themselves during the programme and learnt the importance of recycling.Miss Nasira Ogbuefi, a 12-year-old pupil, said that since the inception of the programme, she had delivered about 30kg PET bottles for recycling.''I first came with my mother to drop the first 5kg bag and subsequently, I have been coming alone.'' I have a good knowledge about recycling which is trying to create wealth out of waste. I don't throw away empty bottles anymore because I now know they are useful,'' she said.Seven-year-old Eliza Okonjor, who came with her mother, Mrs Esther Okonjor, a trader, said they had received vouchers for delivering 10kg of PET bottles for recycling.'' It is a good thing to teach our children how to be financially prudent, especially in this present state of the country.''We collect the PET bottles and we get food which she ends up eating, now she is conscious that any empty plastic bottle she sees around can earn her something,'' she said.Master John Aweje, 15, an apprentice vulcaniser, said he was interested in the exercise because it provided him food.He said he had learnt how to gather empty PET bottles instead of throwing them away.
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