An expert in Sustainable Development with special interest in recycling, Dr Ayodeji Afolayan, has urged Nigerians to stop buying products that cannot be recycled. According to him, the dangers pollution poses to society is so grave that no sacrifice will be too much to tame it.
Afolayan, a lecturer at the First Technical University, Ibadan, recently advocated this when he delivered a lecture on ‘Sustainable Recycling: Opportunities and Impacts on our Socio-Economic Development’, at a lecture organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Oluyole Branch, Ibadan.
Highlighting the problems associated with unbridled pollution, Ayodeji proffered a solution he tagged the 6Rs, indicating: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle. He said, “Don’t buy something you don’t need. Refuse to buy products that cannot be recycled or reused. Fix, don’t replace your products. Recycle what you cannot reduce, reuse or repair.”
On the need for sustainable recycling, he identified the environmental challenges of traditional waste disposal methods, just as he noted that it was also important for global awareness and initiatives for sustainable waste management.
With sustainable recycling, Afolayan added, there would be job creation and economic growth, reduction in environmental pollution and associated health benefits and enhanced resource efficiency and conservation.
He further highlighted the following as opportunities in sustainable recycling:
o Technological advancements in recycling processes
o Innovation and research opportunities for engineers
o Economic prospects for businesses investing in sustainable practices
o Manufacturing companies
o Recycling facilities
o Collection jobs
Dr. Ayodeji Afolayan is a seasoned scholar with decades of experience in academics and research. He is currently engaged with the Institute for Sustainable Development at the First Technical University, Ibadan, Nigeria, as a researcher and lecturer. He is an Agricultural Economist with a special interest in Natural Resource and Environmental Economics and Food, Agribusiness and Farm Management.
Afolayan’s research primarily aims towards solving socio-economic problems. He has conducted research with several organisations and institutions in agriculture and other economic sectors to achieve food security, agricultural productivity and poverty eradication. His collaborative research work has seen him work with both national and international institutions like the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, HarvestPlus and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
