By Ajibola Adedoye
International Climate Change Development Initiative (ICCDI), a Lagos-grounded climate advocacy group, in collaboration with DHL, has commissioned a six- unit public restroom structure erected with 15,000 pet bottles in Lagos State.
During the launch of the bottle toilet building in Ilasamaja Primary School on Thursday July 18, 2024, Olumide Idowu, the Executive Director ICCDI, noted that “The Bottle Toilet” is an invention that came up because of the issue of open defecation and talking about the issue of end plastic pollution, the number of plastics that go into our ocean is terribly alarming, some people are talking about how this is causing a lot of annihilation for fish and other creatures in the water but we’re talking about how does this affect humans. So, we try to come up with a vision which is not new across the world, but we decided to bring it to Nigeria.
“A couple of years ago we decided to start working on the structure, as an NGO we do not have that kind of resources to do it, so we approached the private sector. And what we’re doing here is one of our successes of meeting with DHL, which they decided to also use as their own CSR. So, the bottle toilet actually started with packing bottles from the staffs, fill the bottles with sand, after which we started the construction from foundations to the top.
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“With this design, we’re trying to check open defecation. Secondly, we’re trying to bring sanity which we call Water Sanitation and Hygiene to the community and the academy. Basically, the bottle toilet is meant to serve the pupils of Ilasamaja Primary School and not the general public, and our next option is to see how we can build circular economy in this process and how we’re doing that’s to create job opportunities for women in the community to take care of the restroom in collaboration with the CDA and the Head Teacher of the school.
“We’re going to be replicating this in other states across the country in as important as we’re getting cooperation with all other stakeholders” he maintained.
In her submission, Maureen Adibuah, Manager Director, DHL Global Forwarding Nigeria, noted that there are over 400 million plastics littering Lagos metropolis alone.
“Financing the Bottle Toilet is one of our sustainability projects because we set up out that we do not have beaches anymore, each time our vessels are on the waters we have some stops, some pet bottles, waterproof, styrofoams blocking the aqueducts.
“How is this going to affect us, how it is going to come back to our business, how do we do something within the industry and the environment where we operate that will have a positive impact in our business, that was the inspiration”
Adibuah said there are several ways of reducing the rate at which the pet bottles get into the drainage channels, oceans and environment, adding that putting up this innovative idea of the bottle toilet is one of them and it’s cost effective as well.
“This is the first one in Lagos, presumably in Nigeria and it seems that it’s working so we are not stopping here. I have my outlets in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja, the intention is to take this to Port Harcourt and replicate this there as well” she assured.
In her submission, Titilayo Oshodi, Special Adviser on Climate Change & Circular Economy to Lagos State Governor, said “In a world where environmental challenges are getting increasingly urgent, it is pivotal for us to think outside the box and find creative results that not only address these issues but also profit our communities. The Bottle Toilet Project does just that by utilising recycled PET bottles to produce a sustainable and eco-friendly sanitation result.
“Imagine a world where every plastic bottle has a alternate life, where waste is converted into a precious resource, and where sanitation facilities are not only functional but also environmentally conscious. This is the vision of the Bottle Toilet Project – to turn waste into opportunity, to promote circular economy, and to ameliorate the quality of life for all members of our community.
“By repurposing PET bottles into toilet facility, we are not only reducing plastic waste but also providing much-needed sanitation facilities for those in need. This design not only addresses the immediate challenges of waste management and sanitation but also contributes to a further sustainable future for generations to come.
“The Bottle Toilet Project is a testament to the power of invention, collaboration, and community engagement. It showcases how simple ideas can have a profound impact and how small conduct can lead to significant change. By working together, we can produce a more sustainable, flexible, and inclusive community for all, ” Oshodi remarked.
In his remarks, Balogun Peter Ajayi, Chairman, Ese-Odo South Community Development Association, Ilasamaja, lauded the facilitators of the toilet.
“When they started this design originally, I asked questions why are you bringing pet bottles to our community, they said they’re constructing a toilet with it, I was sceptical at first but here is the end result-this beautiful restroom that they erected for our children at Ilasamaja Primary School, so we say, thank you to them”.
Chioma Iwuoma, Head Teacher of Ilasamaja Primary School in her reaction said “Having this design erected for us makes us feel happy and appreciative. The pupils, the teachers, the parents, the CDA, the entire community, all of us are very happy with this design.
“We’re thankful to ICCDI and DHL for their contributions to the lives of the children of this school” she noted.
Numerous dignitaries graced the occasion with representatives from LASEPA, LAWMA, Ministry of the Environment and Water coffers, and Mayowa Alakija, the Education Secretary, Oshodi/Isolo LCDA represented by Mr. Tijani Adesina Isiaka, Desk Officer, Social Mobilisation Section, Original Government Education Authority, Oshodi/Isolo, among others.
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