Some residents on the Ikotun, Idimu, Ejigbo and Egbeda axis of Lagos State have lamented the indiscriminate dumping and abandonment of dirt on the streets and major roads in the axis, describing it as an eyesore.
This comes days after the Lagos Waste Management Authority announced that its licensed Private Sector Participation operators evacuated 418,500 tonnes of waste across the state in May, averaging 13,200 tonnes daily.
Speaking of the indiscriminate dumping of refuse, an industrial chemist, Mr Harrison Chinaka, warned that improper and irregular disposal of refuse is more than an environmental eyesore; it is a growing public health and environmental concern.
“Especially around the Alimosho environs of Lagos State,” he said.
Chinaka explained that waste does not simply disappear, adding that it breaks down and releases harmful substances into the environment, saying, “As refuse decomposes, it emits gases such as methane and ammonia, which pollute the air, contribute to global warming, and create unpleasant and unhealthy living conditions.”
He pointed out that when residents burn waste in open spaces, toxic smoke and dangerous chemicals are released into the atmosphere, increasing cases of breathing difficulties and other health problems.
“During rainfall, harmful substances from waste seep into the soil and are washed into drains and water sources, contaminating water and threatening both human and aquatic life. Improperly discarded plastics, batteries, and other materials may release toxic chemicals and heavy metals that remain in the environment for years. In addition, piles of refuse become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, flies, and rodents, increasing the spread of diseases,” he said.
Chinaka warned that blocked drainage channels also raise the risk of flooding.
He maintained that poor waste disposal is not just a sanitation issue, but also an environmental and chemical threat that silently affects the health, safety, and overall wellbeing of the community.
“I hereby urge the LAWMA to enhance their operations, especially within this rainy season, as drainages could be seriously clogged if the waste is not removed in time. Also, there should be hefty penalties for offenders who dump these wastes indiscriminately,” he said.
A health consultant, Joy Oriaku, lamented that the roads have gradually turned into dump sites: “The gutters are now filled with black water, nylon bags and bottles everywhere; open spaces have somehow become dumpsites without anyone agreeing to see it. In Mushin, where I work, for instance, the smell on a hot afternoon is something else. People have just accepted it as part of living there.”
Oriaku noted that although residents pay Private Sector Participation operators for waste collection services, the operators’ trucks often fail to show up to evacuate the refuse.
“The most annoying thing is that people are paying. Waste levies, local government charges, and random collections at the roadside, money is leaving people’s pockets consistently, but the trucks are not coming consistently. The big bin in my house has been filled up for about two weeks. Where is the LAWMA? Yet we are billed and have never defaulted. The drainages are still blocked. It’s rainy season, the streets are flooded, and it’s even so bad that it’s entering people’s houses,” she said.
According to her, this indiscriminate dumping of dirt has some health effects.
“Then there is the health aspect that people don’t always talk about directly. Stagnant water brings malaria; dirty drains bring typhoid. Kids are playing near gutters every single day. So, families that are already managing tight budgets are now adding hospital bills to them for sicknesses that clean surroundings would have prevented. The dirt is literally costing people money beyond just the levies they already paid,” she said.
A resident of the Idimu-Ejigbo area, who requested anonymity, expressed concern that the Idimu-Ejigbo Road is steadily becoming a dumping ground for refuse.
“Idimu-Ejigbo Road is gradually turning into a dump site. People deliberately bring out their refuse, mostly at night and when it is raining, and leave it on the road. During last week’s rain, floodwaters scattered the refuse dumps all over the road, making the whole thing a big eyesore. I want to commend LAWMA for their efforts and also urge them to do more because there is more to be done in the area of waste evacuation, especially in this rainy season. It will go a long way in addressing the issue of flooding,” the source said.
The , on Thursday, reported that LAWMA disclosed that its network of licensed Private Sector Participation operators evacuated a total of 418,500 tonnes of waste across the state in May, representing an average daily evacuation of 13,200 tonnes.
Meanwhile, LAWMA has published its May 2026 operational performance report, outlining continued initiatives aimed at enhancing waste evacuation, environmental cleanliness, and service delivery across Lagos State.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said that the agency is focused on improving operational efficiency, strengthening service delivery, and addressing pressure points within the waste management system.
“LAWMA and its network of licensed Private Sector Participation operators evacuated a total of 418,500 tonnes of waste across the state in May, representing an average daily evacuation of 13,200 tonnes. A total of 442 PSP operators remained active across Lagos State, while 27 routes were currently under review as part of ongoing efforts to optimise service coverage and improve collection efficiency,” Gbadegesin said.
According to him, the agency cleared 173 waste black spots during the period under review, covering road medians, markets, bus stops, and other public spaces impacted by indiscriminate waste disposal.