The Ogun State government, on Sunday, said it had shut a recycling company, Maths Metal Recycling Limited, in Sagamu area of the state, for deliberate industrial pollution which exposed residents to danger.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the company was issued several warnings for polluting the environment with contaminated oil, but refused to heed caution.
The recycling company punctured a passage at the back of its premises to discharge the waste to the environment, instead of installing retention tanks within the company, where the bad oil and other solvents were supposed to be treated.
Oresanya said: “By doing this, the management of Maths Metal has not only caused pollution, but has also committed a criminal act that is punishable under the Ogun State Environmental Sanitation Laws as their deliberate action has adversely affected residents of communities living around them.
“The state government will now have to establish the extent of damage done to the well-being of members of the community especially the percolation of the contaminated oil on their underground water.”
According to him, the state government would determine if the situation of the polluted environment could be corrected after strict assessments and the recycling company would foot the bill for the course, while other disciplinary actions might be considered as a deterrent.
He also reiterated government’s resolve to blacklist consultants that connived with the company to commit the infractions and threatened to report them to the Federal Government authorities for possible nationwide sanctions.
Oresanya also warned other industries and environmental violators to desist from the illegal act as it would not be business as usual again in the state.
He made it clear that the state government would not shy away from protecting her residents, especially the vulnerable ones from any environmental hazards.
