Latest News

Nigeria to prohibit single-use plastics next year

Nigeria on Tuesday revealed a restriction on singleuse plastics in government workplaces as a start to an across the country ban set to start in January next year, a move that might stir a storm in a country hugely depending on plastics.

A current research study by the U.S. Company for International Development discovered that Nigeria is amongst the world's leading plastic polluters, creating over 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, and over 70% of which winds up in seas and landfill. If you look at the national policy on plastic waste management which was adopted in 2020, it envisaged that by 2025, some categories of plastic will be prohibited in Nigeria, deputy minister of environment, Iziaq Salako said.

What the Federal federal government is doing is preparing the minds of Nigerians for what is to come and leading by example he said.

The majority of the materials to be banned are single-use plastics including straws, flatware, plastic bottles and small water sachets, which provide a major problem for the country, he said.

Nigeria announced a national policy to curb plastic waste contamination in 2020 when total yearly plastic waste was around 1.5 million metric tonnes, according to the strategy seen .

The document highlights how correct plastic waste management can produce a circular economy, where plastic design, production and use causes recycling for reuse.

Ever since, plastic waste has risen greatly in quick growing cities like Lagos, with an estimated population of between 17-20 million, and where research study by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) this year discovered that an estimated 50-60 million utilized water sachets are thrown into the streets daily.

In January, Lagos state announced a ban on single-use plastics and Styrofoam, commonly utilized in food service and shipment by street vendors, stating it clogs drains pipes and water channels.

Nigeria is likewise drafting a brand-new plastic use policy that targets a phased method to getting rid of plastic waste. Within five years, it expects producers to move to alternatives and aims to securely manage imports.

Analysts state while execution might be rough at first, a. nation-wide restriction is long overdue.

It's good to begin with low-hanging fruits, which is. single-use plastic and starting the application at. federal government workplaces is an excellent signal, stated Leslie Adogame,. executive director of Sustainable Research study and Action for. Environmental Development, a Nigerian non-profit.

(source: Reuters)