Abstract
Wood waste generation in Nigeria is constantly on the increase as a result of low average percentage timber recovery both in the forests and wood processing industries and increased demand for wood and its products in the country. Being perceived as mere useless materials to be discarded, wood waste has become a menace to public health and the environment in Nigeria due to its indiscriminate disposal practices. This paper therefore aims to highlight the potentials of wood waste as a viable resource for economic growth and sustainable development and thereby pique the people’s interest in the proper management and harnessing of wood waste. Keywords: Sustainable development, Wood waste, Wood waste management, Wood waste utilization.
Highlights
Nigeria’s climate varies from tropical rain forest in Sawmills account for over 93% of the entire wood the south, to savannah in the middle belt and processing industries in Nigeria (Ogunwusi, 2014)
Some of these industries situated close to banks of rivers often dump their residues into the rivers. These indiscriminate disposal practices result in untoward environmental and human impacts; unsightly look of the environment, air pollution, respiratory tract infection, eye problems, contamination of rivers and ground waters, distortion of water eco-systems and contribution to climate change (Arimoro et al, 2007; Nwankwo, 1998; Wihersaari, 2005). These wastes disposal practices contradict sustainable solid waste management which entails various activities that encourage the efficient utilization of material resources to reduce the amount of waste produced and the management of waste generated in such a way that the economic, social and environmental goals of sustainable development are largely achieved (Pianosi, 2012)
This paper aims to highlight the potentials of wood waste as a viable resource for economic growth and sustainable development with the view to pique the people’s interest in the proper management and harnessing of wood waste
Summary
Nigeria’s climate varies from tropical rain forest in Sawmills account for over 93% of the entire wood the south, to savannah in the middle belt and processing industries in Nigeria (Ogunwusi, 2014). These indiscriminate disposal practices result in untoward environmental and human impacts; unsightly look of the environment, air pollution, respiratory tract infection, eye problems, contamination of rivers and ground waters, distortion of water eco-systems and contribution to climate change (Arimoro et al, 2007; Nwankwo, 1998; Wihersaari, 2005) These wastes disposal practices contradict sustainable solid waste management which entails various activities that encourage the efficient utilization of material resources to reduce the amount of waste produced and the management of waste generated in such a way that the economic, social and environmental goals of sustainable development are largely achieved (Pianosi, 2012).
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