Stakeholders demand enforcement of plastic ban
Stakeholders have urged Nigeria's Federal Government to implement a ban on single-use plastic.
According to a stakeholder who recently spoke at the Global Alliance for Incineration Alternatives Nigeria Members workshop on Civil Society Organizations Engagement with National and International Plastic Policy Processes in Lagos, the ban should go into effect in 2024 rather than the 2028 date contained in the proposed National Policy on Plastic Waste Management.
They proposed that the ban begin with styrofoam, microbeads, carrier bags, plastic spoons, straws, and disposable cups because they had no economic value (recycling).
According to a statement issued by Global Alliance for Incineration Alternatives Nigeria, the participants urged the government to establish a National Plastic Treaty Steering Committee as soon as possible to provide guidance and oversight of the process.
The group asked the government to avoid the adoption of waste-to-energy technologies such as municipal waste Incinerators and chemical recycling facilities, which they describe as 'false solutions'.
They noted that unsustainable resource consumption contributes to climate change, releases a cocktail of noxious substances that endangers public health, and diverts funds away from less expensive, more sustainable zero-waste solutions.
Participants also demanded that all national and state plastic policies incorporate zero-waste principles, taking into account an entire lifecycle approach to plastic management and non-recyclable materials.
"While emphasizing the need for a nationwide campaign and capacity development of policymakers on the toxicity of plastic within the Nigerian plastic value chain," they wrote.
They urged the government to declare a state of emergency regarding plastic production and the transparency of its chemical constituents.
They also requested that all public, private, and civil society efforts be directed toward achieving a zero-waste economy.
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