The Nigerian Youth Biodiversity Network (NYBN) and the Sustainable Environment Food and Agriculture Initiative (SEFAAI) have applauded the recent ban on single-use plastics, by the Lagos State government.
The National Coordinator, Olusegun Michael Ogundele, and the Director of Research, Aderibigbe Abiodun, in a jointly signed statement made available to newsmen, highlighted the importance of effective plastic policies, urging a coordinated and standardized approach, along with public scrutiny.
The statement emphasized that like other environmental challenges, plastic pollution is international and transboundary.
While expressing support for the ban as a positive step toward a sustainable cleaner Lagos, the group raised concerns about the lack of a meticulous examination and patient passage through the policy imposition process by the Lagos State Ministry of Environment.
“Ban on single-use plastics should be accompanied by practical alternatives to facilitate the smooth transition for consumers and businesses, especially major corporations in the production of plastic drinks, bottled water, and packaging materials,” it says.
The group stressed the significance of sourcing alternative business models, preventing direct cost transfer to consumers, and incorporating a well-defined monitoring and evaluation framework.
” A balanced plastic policy should consider the entire plastic life-cycle, promote circularity, and reduce reliance on bottled drinks and water,” it stated.
The statement called for the development of a plastic policy integrated with climate actions, the protection of natural ecosystems, the conservation of marine and coastal communities, and a paradigm shift to alter consumer lifestyles in Lagos State.
The groups appealed to the government to consider internationally recognized policy standardization processes for enacting a plastic policy.
By Dare Akogun
