The Lagos State Waterways Authority in conjunction with a Lagos based social enterprise Mitimeth commenced the third edition of the water hyacinth recycling initiative where 100 rural women were trained on the economic benefits of recycling hyacinth weed.
Rather than lament over the menace of water hyacinth and its attendant effects on Lagos waterways, LASWA is collaborating with other agencies to harvest weed from hyacinth and convert them into materials including: bags, mats, notebook cover, hand-basket, furniture items and textile decorations.
According to the LASWA General Manager, water hyacinth cannot be totally eradicated but could be controlled through harvesting into new materials and valuable products.
He described water hyacinth as one of the fastest growing weeds across the globe infesting water bodies in over 50 countries.
Hyacinth, he said reproduces every two weeks and thrived in polluted waters.