Lagos Env'l Experts React as State Govt Bans Single use Plastics, Styrofoam, Make Suggestions
- Environmental stakeholders have expressed their willingness to support the Lagos government to make the state clean and free of environmental pollution
- The stakeholders' pledge comes after the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration banned the usage and distribution of styrofoam and other single-use plastics in the state with immediate effect
- In a statement made exclusively available to Legit.ng, the environmental experts from LAGRA, WAMASON, and NIEE, shared some suggestions with the government
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Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9-year-experience covering public journalism and environmental issues
Ikeja, Lagos state - Top environmental experts have expressed their 'appreciation' to the Lagos state government for placing a ban on single-use plastics (SUPs) and styrofoam packs.
Legit.ng recalls that on Sunday, January 21, the Lagos state government banned the use and distribution of single-use plastics and styrofoam packs in the state.
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Environmentalists applaud Lagos styrofoam ban
Popularly known as take-away plates, styrofoam is a non-biodegradable material that is in high use in Lagos state. It remains a source of river blockage, with its resultant implications for the environment.
The Lagos state commissioner for the environment and water resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced the ban in a statement released by the ministry’s director of public affairs, Kunle Adeshina.
Reacting to the development in a statement made exclusively available to Legit.ng, the trio of Comrade Gbolahan Yusuf, Engr. Yusuf Majolagbe, and Dr. Femi Idowu-Adegoke, asserted that the prohibition is "an important step towards curbing the menace of SUPs in our environment".
Gbolahan, Majolagbe, and Idowu-Adegoke represent the Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON), Lagos council; Nigeria Institution of Environmental Engineers (NIEE), Lagos chapter; and the Lagos Recyclers Alliance (LAGRA); respectively.
The statement by the environmental experts, obtained exclusively by Legit.ng, reads:
"As important stakeholders in waste management and environmental protection sector of Lagos state, we will like to use this medium to congratulate and appreciate the Lagos state government through her ministry of environment for taking a bold step towards eradicating environmental pollution through her ban of Styrofoams and other single use plastics (SUPs) due to their non-biodegradable nature and environmental menace they pose through blockage of drainages and canals.
"While this ban is absolutely supported by us, it is however necessary to take some strategically important steps to enhance the effectiveness of this ban in order to ensure its sustainability and consequently prevent the creation of new challenges that will prevent full implementation of the ban.
The following steps are suggested:
" (i) Stakeholders Engagement: Round table discussion with all stakeholders in the waste management and environmental protection sector including the manufacturers, distributors, waste management professionals and end users of SUPs.
"The last engagement on the Lagos state plastic policy (unveiling) was held in November 2022 and there was no mention of the ban on SUPs. Rather, to reduce the production by 30% in 2030. The national policy only states a ban of 4 categories of SUPs which take effect from May 2025.
"Therefore, the need to dialogue with critical stakeholders before taking this step is necessary to forestall creating another problem while trying to solve one.
"Our national economy is quite fragile right now, there is a need to be cautious and to avoid resistance.
"(ii) Putting a more direct and specific policy in place: There is yet a direct Lagos plastic policy passed into law to ban SUPs. The available policies are general and might not be able to stand the test of time. With a more direct policy, future enforcement will be easy and defaulters can be charged. This will also give us the opportunity to set a short, medium and long-term agenda towards its actualisation.
"(iii) Soft-landing for the economy: The population of manufacturers, importers and distributors of SUPs remains unknown yet considering its large usage, a good population of Lagos relies on SUPs for survival and this would have positively impacted the economy. This type of ban should be done in phases beginning with end users and finishing with the manufacturers within a stipulated period of time. This will reduce the negative impacts the ban will have on the economy and help the manufacturer to get more time to transition into another product and so on.
"(iv) Provision of alternatives: One of the best ways to institute a ban is to provide alternatives. And these alternatives should be readily available, affordable and approved by the government as acceptable. This will make the marketing of the banned product unattractive and make it very easy to ease the product out of our society.
Conclusively, WAMASON, LAGRA, NIEE and other stakeholders stated that they are willing and ready to support the government in every area where it is needed to ensure that Lagos is clean and free of environmental pollution.
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Lagos seals off Katangua, Oke Afa markets
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) shut down the Katangua and Oke Afa markets over environmental sanitation violations.
The LASEPA general manager, Babatunde Ajayi, announced the closure of the two markets.
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Source: Legit.ng
