The Lagos State Government has announced a ban on single-use plastics and Styrofoam packs, popularly called ‘takeaways’, with “immediate effect.”
The state’s Commissioner, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday posted on X by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kunle Adeshina, the use of these plastics has caused a menace in the environment.
“Most drainage channels in the state are daily clogged up by Styrofoam and other plastics through its indiscriminate distribution and usage despite the regular cleaning and evacuation of the drains with humongous amounts.
“The Commissioner added that the State Government cannot fold its hands and watch the continued desecration of its environment especially for a coastal city,” the statement reads in part.
The statement added that the Commissioner has directed the Lagos Waste Management Authority and the Kick Against Indiscipline to immediately commence the implementation of the ban.
It read, “He asked the two agencies to clamp down on all the production companies and distribution outlets for Styrofoam in the state to prevent further distribution.
“The Commissioner advised producers, distributors, and end-users of these styrofoam packs to take the ban seriously and find alternatives or risk heavy fines, and other penalties including sealing of their premises.”
Wahab advised consumers and residents to boycott styrofoam packs and single-use plastics and imbibe the practice of using reusable food containers and water bottles for their food and drinks.
It would be recalled that as at January 2023, Lagos State had continued to battle the menace of plastic pollution despite the estimated $2 billion recycling industry in Nigeria.
According to the report, Lagos State produces 870,000 tonnes of plastic garbage annually, and despite the government’s efforts to address the threat of plastic pollution and turn it into a profitable venture, the environmental concern just won’t go away.
In a September report, a non-governmental organisation, the Center for Earth Works, lamented the indiscriminate use and disposal of plastic materials by Nigerians and demanded an end to plastic pollution in the country.
By Dare Akogun
