A critical analysis of the role of energy generation from municipal solid waste (MSW)

Abstract

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Nigeria is a major problem that has reached alarming proportions. The increasing difficulty in managing MSW has become one of the most intractable environmental and health problems. Energy generation from MSW plays both negative and positive roles which can be viewed in an environmental and socio-economic perspective. This paper evaluated the socio-environmental and economic benefits of energy generation from MSW in Nigeria using secondary data and various analytical tools such as content analysis, in-depth analysis, critical review and narrative analysis. Some of the principal findings of this paper are that informal MSW recycling is also a contributor to inadequate energy generation from MSW, WTE technologies such as anaerobic digestion (AD) and combined heat and power (CHP) is a promising and viable MSW management strategy that can be adopted in most villages in rural areas in Nigeria. Energy generation from MSW in Nigeria has not been appropriately promoted due to weak environmental policies, inadequate funding and lack of environmental education. As such the need to review Nigerian waste management policies, creation of environmental, economic awareness and enlightenment campaigns and development of appropriate MSW collection and disposal agency in Nigeria should be provided. This paper concludes that it is essential to reassess all legislations regarding waste management in Nigeria with the aim to promote various WTE technologies most especially anaerobic digestion (AD) and combined heat and power (CHP) as these technologies are most suitable in Nigeria where the emissions of GHGs are rapidly increasing.