•Packs of styrofoam containers filled with food and ready for delivery in Obalende, Lagos
The Lagos State Government has said it will begin the full enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics on July 1.
The Commissioner for Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a statement on X today.
He explained that the state government had been intentional and strategic with 18 months of dialogue, engagement and transition.
Wahab noted that within the space of almost 18 months, the government had a series of stakeholders’ engagements with marketers and producers of these products.
The state government in January 2024, banned the use of Styrofoam across the state, a decision that elicited reactions from residents, especially traders in deal in the sale of the product.
But the commissioner said the government had given an ample time to align with global best practices, noting that what is unacceptable elsewhere cannot become standard in Lagos.
“We re-emphasised this stand during a courtesy visit by management of TETRA PAK West Africa Limited, led by the Managing Director, Haithem Debbiche.
“This is about environmental responsibility. And we have given an ample time to align with global best practices. What is unacceptable elsewhere cannot become standard in Lagos. We must protect our future and do what is right for the greater good.
“We’re not here to score points. We’re here to do the work. Just like with the successful enforcement of the styrofoam ban, we will insist on accountability and responsibility. A cleaner, healthier Lagos is within reach if we all play our part.”
In September 2024, the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, destroyed ₦5 miilion worth of Styrofoam packs seized in one month across various locations in the state.
The exercise was carried out in the Epe area of the state by the agency in conjunction with Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) officials.
Speaking at the venue of the incineration, the Corps Marshal of the LAGESC, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd), said the state government has declared zero tolerance on the sales, usage, and distribution of Styrofoam packs in the state, and there was no going back on that.
In June, 2024, the federal government announced the ban on single-use plastics in ministries, departments and agencies of government.
The Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako, stated this when he briefed reporters at the Presidential Villa after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
The minister said the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management which was adopted in 2020, envisages that by January 2025, some categories of plastics, most of which are single-use, would be banned in Nigeria.
Salako said the ban aligned with the government’s commitment to tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution, which had become menacing challenges in the country.
The minister said plastic waste often clogs drains and contributes to flooding, while also polluting the oceans and affecting human health and the environment.
