Waste to energy solution in antiquity and Ibadan

Abstract

Waste to energy solution, the technology that converts municipal solid waste to energy has been discussed by several ancient and modern scholars. Several other authors have identified the types of waste as well as energy derived from such wastes, the various types of processes and the consequences of waste to energy technology in some other countries. This study examines waste to energy solution in antiquity, and proposes a modern equivalence for the sprawling metropolis of Ibadan. The paper further argues that turning waste to energy has environmental and health implications for the society. The argument being put forward in this discourse is that since ancient Greeks and Romans could take recourse to renewable energy, albeit in a rudimentary manner devoid of modern technology, it is therefore pertinent that this technology, which has become modern, be adopted to address the waste problem of Ibadan, and provide renewable energy from waste for the city. Further studies may examine how the technology can be adopted and simplified for individual personal structures, and other parts of the country.