The Federal Government has disclosed its plan to phase out the production and use of non-biodegradable plastics in the country.
Plastic wastes have become a major pollutant in our environment as it is found in heaps of litre, found floating on rivers and in drainages, blocking water ways, among other things.
Speaking during a stakeholder’s workshop on the phase-out of non- biodegradable plastics in Nigeria, Supervising Minister of Environment Arch. Darius Ishaku said “the phase-out programme will be implemented in a gradual, painless and sustainable manner in order not to cause social and economic dislocation.”
Ishaku explained that “the increasing use of plastic materials in all facets of our lives with their attendants consequences has been a concern not only to government at all levels but to all Nigerians.”
He lamented that “The large scale flooding of major Nigerian urban cities and villages in recent years particularly in 2012 is a clear testimony to this danger.
“The federal government of Nigeria recognises that the uncontrolled use of plastic materials and indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste particularly shopping bags and pure water sachets present clear and imminent danger to the Nigerian environment and its citizens.
“Several countries have adopted measures to reduce the production and use of plastic materials particularly shopping bags. These measures range from imposition of taxes, fines, restriction to outright ban on shopping bags.
“Government is aware that the implementation of such a programme will not be easy, especially since the plastic sector employs and contribute significantly to the economic and social well-being of thousands of Nigerians.
“May I use this forum to point out that the phase-out programme will be implemented in a gradual, painless and sustainable manner in order not to cause social and economic dislocation,” he stressed.
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment Mr. Taiye Haruna said “the workshop which serves as an awareness and sensitization forum is the first in a series of activities and events geared towards a gradual and sustainable phase-out of the manufacture and use of non-biodegradable plastic in the country.
Haruna maintained that “It is common knowledge that the country’s Municipal Solid Waste Composition has witnessed drastic changes over the years and the changes are attributed mostly to rapid population growth, increased urbanization, changing life styles, social and economic status.”
According to him, “A major consequence of the above scenario is the unrelenting use of plastic materials and the indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste in our environment.
“One of such interventions is the National Plastic Recycling Programme in which the federal ministry of environment in collaboration with the Ecological Funds Office is establishing Multi-purpose plastic recycling plants in 26 selected cities in Nigeria.
“The plant would amongst others, provide employment for Nigerians, attract investment in this sector and provide raw materials to plastic manufacturer for re-manufacturing while at the same time ensuring cleaner and healthier environment.
“The ministry understands that this effort though laudable is not comprehensive enough to address the plastic waste problem,” Haruna said.
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If this policy pulls off, what it means is that we will not get sachet ‘pure’ water and maybe bottled water to buy any more. I’m imagining the number of citizens who will be thrown out of job, and the number of households whose means of liveihood would be abruptly put to end. And of course, the question of how do we get water fit for human consumption? Arises. (Not that the ‘pure’ waters and bottled waters are so trust worth anyway, just that we have come to accept them). Evidently, not every household is financially buoyant enough to sink a water borehole. I don’t see how this will not cause social and economic dislocation to a nation that has been bedevilled with so much dislocations already. One would have thougth that our policy makers and so called special advisers should have been talking about putting in place a policy that would check the indecsriminate disposal of these plastic materials (wastes), rather than an out-right ban of manufaturing and use of them. When will that day come that our government will wake up to start making policies that will ‘sincerely’ benefit the majority of the Nigerian masses? Truth be told, it’s in our hands really to decide, but until we wake up from our slumber and step out of our comfort zone and begin to demand for our rights, hmmm, we still have a long wait.