Lagos govt outlaws styrofoam, other single-use plastics
The Lagos State government has announced the prohibition of the use and distribution of styrofoam and other single-use plastics with immediate effect.
Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, announced this in a statement he signed.
According to him, the decision was reached following the menace that single-use plastics, especially the non-biodegradable Styrofoam, were causing on the environment.
He said most drainage channels in the state were daily blocked by styrofoam through indiscriminate distribution and usage, despite the regular cleaning and evacuation of the drains in huge amounts.
He reiterated that the larger chunk of littering across major roads and markets that the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) contends with daily is made up of styrofoam.
The commissioner said the state government could not fold its arms and watch the continued desecration of its environment.
He subsequently directed the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) and LAWMA to immediately commence implementation of the ban.
The Commissioner asked the two agencies to clamp down on all the production companies and distribution outlets for styrofoam in the state to prevent further distribution.
Wahab explained that the state took the present action, relying on several enabling laws and regulations, such as the National Environmental (Sanitation and Waste Control) Regulation 2009, which was established according to NESREA Act that prohibited and specifically banned single-use plastic in the country but has not been enforced.
Other laws, according to him, include the 2017 State Environmental Management and Protection Law, which states, under Section 56(I)(y), “prevent, stop, or discontinue any activity or omission which is likely to cause harm or has caused harm to human health or the environment.
He advised producers, distributors, and end-users of styrofoam packs to take the ban seriously and find alternatives or risk heavy fines and other penalties, including sealing their premises.
He warned that they could also be made to bear the costs of the daily cleanup of their products from roads and drainage channels, which runs into tens of millions of naira daily.
“Our state cannot be held hostage to the economic interests of a few wealthy business owners, compared to the millions of Lagosians suffering the consequences of indiscriminate dumping of single-use plastics and other types of waste,” he stated.
According to Wahab, the well-known consequences include climate change, flooding, and diseases like cholera.
He 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. “The convenience of single-use plastic comes at a huge cost to society. We must all make small sacrifices for our collective well-being,” Wahab urged.
