The Lagos State Government has announced a ban on the usage and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics in the state with immediate effect.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the announcement in a statement on Sunday.
He said, “Following the menace which single-use plastics especially non-biodegradable Styrofoam are causing on the environment, the Lagos State government (@followlasg ) through the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (@LasgMOE ) is hereby announcing a ban on the usage and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics in the State with immediate effect.”
Wahab also directed the State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the Kick Against Indiscipline to immediately commence the implementation of the ban.
He reiterated that the larger chunk of littering across major roads and markets that LAWMA contends with daily is made up of styrofoam.
Other laws, according to Wahab, include the 2017 State Environmental Management and Protection Law, which states under Section 56(I) (y), “prevent, stop, or discontinue any activity or omission that is likely to cause harm or has caused harm to human health or the environment.
The commissioner advised producers, distributors, and end-users of these styrofoam packs to take the ban seriously and find alternatives or risk heavy fines and other penalties, including sealing their premises.
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He warned that they could also be made to bear the costs of the daily cleanup of their products from our 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 while imbibing 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 pleaded.
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