In a long-overdue move, the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Lagos State Government recently banned the usage and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics. The environment ministry first announced the ban in its departments and agencies. Then, the Lagos State Government followed by also banning it in the state. Abia State Government has reportedly banned it as well.
According to the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, the single-use plastics, especially the non-biodegradable Styrofoam, are a menace to the environment. He said indiscriminate usage and distribution of Styrofoam clogged up most drainage channels and littered major roads and markets in the state daily despite regular cleaning and evacuation of the drains. The practice, according to the commissioner, results in climate change, flooding and diseases like cholera, among others.
The ban is in order. Lagos State alone reportedly generates about 870,000 tonnes of plastics annually. In Nigeria, about 60 million water sachets are used daily. These sachets as well as plastic bags and bottles later get into the aquatic environment where they subject freshwater ecosystems to different stresses. They are said to contain toxic petrochemical compounds which have health implications when ingested by living organisms. They are known to have reduced fish populations.
They also cause environmental nuisance. They are non-biodegradable and make the soil unproductive. They also block the drainage channels, thereby causing flood, stagnant water and the consequent breeding of mosquitoes that transmit malaria. Experts believe banning single-use plastics could reduce marine plastic pollution by over 5 per cent.
Different studies have discovered large quantities of microplastics in some aquatic organisms. In a recent study led by Dalia Saad of the University of Witwatersrand, published in ‘Conversation Africa’ on February 6, 2024, it was discovered that microplastics were found in Nile River’s tilapia fish. In the 30 freshly caught fish the researchers surveyed, they found a total of 567 microplastic particles that could be consumed or absorbed in various ways by the tilapia and other aquatic organisms. The number of particles, they said, ranged from five to 47 per fish.
The researchers concluded that “this all has serious implications for human health, as people catch and eat the fish, which introduces those microplastics and associated chemicals into their bloodstreams.”
There are concerns about the economic impact of the ban on single-use plastics on those who depend on them for survival such as the manufacturers and food vendors. People also use Styrofoam because it is cheap and more convenient. This is understandable. But the usage cannot be to the detriment of the lives of the majority of the citizens. Wahab said it all when he lamented that Lagos 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.”
However, banning it is one thing. Enforcing the ban is another. The usage of these plastics has become entrenched in the country. Without providing good alternatives, the ban may be difficult to implement. Since 2013 when the National Assembly initiated a bill to ban single-use plastics, the law has not been promulgated. Nigeria can study how Rwanda has been able to enforce the ban. The country used a combination of enforcement with stringent penalties and advocacy campaigns to achieve success of the ban. Over 100 other countries such as Taiwan and Kenya have banned its usage as well.
Stakeholders in the business should look for good and affordable alternatives. Let them produce and distribute reusable plastics. Recycling should also be considered. Research institutes and tertiary institutions could help in finding affordable alternatives to single-use plastics. Food vendors should learn how to wrap their foods in leaves. People should also learn to avoid using plastic bags. There are better alternatives like bags made from fabric and organic materials. This will save the environment from degradation because they easily decompose without any health risk to the environment. People should also imbibe the habit of using glass and metal containers.
Various governments should provide pipe borne water to citizens to avoid using sachet water. They should also improve waste management practices and enforce waste management laws. The National Orientation Agency should engage the citizens through different enlightenment programmes to impress on them the dangers of using single-use plastics. Other states should emulate Lagos and also ban the distribution and usage of single-use plastics in their domains.