Edo State’s newly launched smart waste management technology, e-TRASH, has eliminated over 400 kilograms of plastic waste in drainages in its first week of deployment to communities across the state.

The novel e-TRASH plastic and aluminium waste redemption scheme is a brainchild of the Edo State Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) aimed at curbing the indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste into stormwater infrastructure and natural moats, among others. 

Project Coordinator of NEWMAP, Dr. Tom Obaseki, said the project is in furtherance of Governor Godwin Obaseki-led’s administration’s efforts to address the waste crisis across the 18 local councils in the state.

He said the scheme, which is currently under its pilot phase, is a novel and sustainable plastic and aluminium waste redemption initiative driven by an Android application called “PikamSel.’’

Obaseki said the scheme will be self-financed through an integrated ‘’recycle bank’’ that guarantees liquidity of the e-TRASH scheme.

At Gapiona where the project e-TRASH pilot scheme team assessed operations of agents and users, the project coordinator said he was impressed with what he has seen on the ground within a one-week period.

By downloading the App on their Android phones and following the simple steps to register as an agent/waste aggregator, user or processor, an individual begins to earn points that are convertible to reward items.