Bella Ifasola
Lagos – Nigeria’s Lagos State Goverment has announced plans to ban circulation of Single Use Plastics, such as pet bottles, sachet water, among others from January 2025 across the Nigeria’s commercial hub.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known on Thursday, at a stakeholders’ workshop and awareness on the implementation of the ban on usage of Styrofoam and SUPs for packaging in Lagos, held at Manufacturer Association of Nigeria, MAN HOUSE, 77 Awolowo Road, Ikeja, the state’s capital.
Wahab, who was represented by the Special Adviser on The Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, explained that the ban set to commence from January 2025, is part of measures by the State Government to put in place policy guidelines for plastic utility in further ensuring a sustainable management of plastic waste, healthy and safe environment.
Wahab said that the policy guideline would be backed up with appropriate legal framework to be established through an enabling law.
He said that Lagos presently generates about 13,000 tonnes of waste products monthly, with plastics making up over 60 per cent.
“Plastics waste materials make up a significant proportion of solid wastes and litter the metropolis.
“It has become a highly visible part of the waste stream, PET, Styrofoam and nylon for sachet water, popularly called “pure water” commonly being used for water and beverages, take away plates and cups, carrier bags, among others.
“This development is posing environmental challenges ranging from Ecosystems degradation, Drainage clogging and flooding, Lagoon and Ocean debris with attendant harm to human resulting in high socio-economic impacts on the State,” the official said.
He stressed that effective plastic waste management is fundamental to delivery of the state government’s priority transformational agenda as laid down in Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP) and THEMES’ Plus Agenda of Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, because it is a resource that can be managed to achieve economic, social and environmental benefits.
Wahab added that sustainable plastic waste management will create value from the waste stream and formalize the waste-pickers’ sector to improve livelihoods and reduce the pressure on landfill.
“It will improve the situation of the State’s drainage channels and reduce plastic pollution in the marine environment,” the commissioner stated.
In January 2024, the state government banned the use of styrofoam in all government establishments and across the metropolis in general, following increasing prevalence of plastic waste and its negative effect on the environment in recent years.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the sector have urged the state government to carryout phase implementation of the ban rather than outright enforcement for effective and efficient compliance as well as giving it human face in the current economic hardship in the West African country.
Lagos chairperson, Association for Table Water Producers of Nigeria, ATWAP, Mosaku Ololade, said, “We have been engaging Lagos State Government on the way forward and we have been sensitizing our members on the planned ban.
“We want the government to continue to engage us. We are a responsible association. We are ready to work with the government.
“We have over 2,000 members in Lagos alone with over 10,000 workers. We heeby, implore the government to implement the ban in phases to allow our members ample opportunity for compliance.
“There are lot of things to be put in place before coming up with total enforcement.”