The Lagos State Government has issued a ban on the use and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics in the state, effective immediately.
Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, made the announcement in a statement signed personally on January 21.
Wahab explained that the decision was made in response to the environmental threat posed by single-use plastics, particularly non-biodegradable Styrofoam.
He further stated that most drainage channels in the state are daily filled with Styrofoam due to its indiscriminate distribution and use, despite frequent cleaning and evacuation in the drains with massive volumes. He reiterated that polystyrene accounts for the majority of littering on major roads and markets, which the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) deals with on a regular basis.
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The Commissioner went on to say that the State Government could not stand by and witness the continuing devastation of its environment, especially in a seaside city. He has since asked LAWMA and Kick Against Indiscipline to promptly execute the prohibition.
He requested that two agencies clamp down on all Styrofoam production companies and distribution outlets in the state to prohibit future dissemination.
Wahab explained that the state took the current action based on several enabling laws and regulations, including the National Environmental (Sanitation and Waste Control) Regulation 2009, which was established under the NESREA Act and prohibited and specifically banned single-use plastic in the country but has not been enforced.
Other regulations, according to Wahab, include the 2017 State Environmental Management and Protection Law, which stipulates in section 56(I) (y) to “prevent, stop, or discontinue any activity or omission that is likely to cause or has caused harm to human health or the environment.”
The Commissioner warned producers, distributors, and end-users of these styrofoam packets to take the ban seriously and find alternatives, or face significant fines and other consequences, including the closing of their premises.
He further threatened that they could be forced to pay for the daily cleanup of their products from our roads and drainage channels, which costs tens of millions of naira every day.
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