The Federal Government has hinted at the banning of some plastic products, expressing support for the decision of the Lagos State government to ban Styrofoam and other single-use plastics.
The government said that the ban on some plastic materials was inevitable, even as it urged Nigerians to be prepared for “wholistic circular management of our waste”.
This was made known in a statement issued by the Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.
Salako said the decision of the Lagos State Government to ban Styrofoam and other single-use plastics was “a strong signal to businesses and the general public that the menace of single-use plastics needs to be comprehensively addressed if Nigeria is to deliver on her environmental agenda of sustainability.”
The minister commended Lagos State government for the bold decision to go ahead with the ban.
He said the Federal Ministry of Environment recently inaugurated “an interagency committee to continue the process of robust consultation across government, across businesses and with all stakeholders to birth a sustainable solution that is sensitive to the Nigeria context”.
Salako said the ministry was examining policies and initiatives that would drive the production of alternatives to plastics.
“The current poorly regulated and indiscriminate use of plastics has to be addressed, and Nigerians must prepare for the inevitable change in this area, including banning of some products.
“In the interim, Nigerians are advised to take personal deliberate environmental actions to reduce and reuse plastics and also explore the growing market of recycling for their plastic waste.
“In the coming days, robust awareness campaign and sensitization will be rolled out to prepare Nigerians for the inevitable ban of some plastics and the wholistic circular management of our waste”, he said.
Recall that a few days ago, the Lagos State government announced banning of the usage and distribution of single-use plastics, especially non-biodegradable Styrofoam across the state due to the menace such plastics are causing on the environment in the densely populated state.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, explained further that most drainage channels in the state are daily clogged up by Styrofoam through its indiscriminate distribution and usage despite the regular cleaning and evacuation of the drains with humongous amounts.
He added that the state government could not fold its hands and watch continued desecration of its environment, especially for a coastal city.
