Pollution Management: Nasarawa school gets eco-friendly toilet
As part of effort to address plastic pollution and end open defecation in public schools, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Ecocykle Development Foundation, in collaboration with Ecosteward and Humanitarian Foundation (EHF)/Lift Humanity Foundation (EHF); Global Recycling Foundation; African Environmental Awareness Initiative and Step-Up Green Climate Warriors Initiative, has constructed a toilet with 6,500 plastic bottles at the Nyanya-Gbagyi Primary School, New-Nyanya, Karu Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State.
Turning Waste into Innovation: The PET Ecofriendly Toilet Project
Speaking at the commissioning of the toilet, Mr. Nweze Emmanuel, Program Director, representing Mr. Pius OKO, the Executive Director of both Ecosteward and Humanitarian Foundation and Lift Humanity Foundation, discussed the PET Project’s efforts to tackle environmental and social challenges. This initiative tackles the critical issue of plastic pollution by upcycling over 7,000 PET bottles per toilet into durable sanitation facilities. In addition to reducing plastic waste, these toilets help combat open defecation, promote hygiene practices, and equip youths with valuable skills in the circular economy. By involving local communities in waste collection and construction, the project not only advances environmental sustainability but also fosters social empowerment and creates economic opportunities.
Regarding the project’s impact and sustainability, Mr. Nweze emphasized that its benefits go beyond environmental gains. The initiative improves public health by reducing water, air, and soil contamination caused by open defecation. Furthermore, each eco-friendly toilet stands as a model of sustainable development, contributing to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ecocykle said the project was aimed at addressing open defecation problems commonly practiced in rural and suburban public schools, while also promoting effective waste management, promoting good hygiene practices and mainstreaming the circular economy among young people in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of Ecocykle, Aliyu Sadiq, said, “We see plastic pollution as a critical issue in the world today affecting not just Nigeria but other countries, and this has lots of impacts on human and environmental health. Our focus as an organisation is to provide solutions that are innovative and actually create change. So, we look at this project as one that doesn’t just address plastic pollution, but also critically looks at the issue of open defecation.
“When we came to this school, we found out that many pupils and students had the issue of toilet facilities, so we integrated addressing plastic pollution, as well as helping solve the problem of open defecation, and that was how we came about achieving this toilet facility today, which is eco-friendly.”
Also, the students of Nyanya-Gbagyi Secondary School were taught how to make artworks with the covers of plastic bottles.
A Senior Secondary School (SSS) 2 student, Ojochena Jubril, said, “We humans live on the planet and so it is our duty to make it a safer place for all living things. We all need to recycle waste in a sustainable manner in order to make lives safer.”
He added that Ecocykle and EHF would replicate the project in as many places as possible until plastic waste became scarce.
Daily Trust reports that plastic pollution has been identified as contributing to the climate change crisis. According to the Geneva Environment Network, “As 99 per cent of plastics are made from fossil feedstocks. Plastic pollution is indubitably linked with climate change
“Plastics are threatening the ability of the global community to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C, as greenhouse gases (GHG) are emitted throughout the plastic life cycle.
