In Nigeria, the move to tackle the challenges of Styrofoam and single-use plastic has been quite haphazard despite the multifaceted challenge with significant environmental, health, and socioeconomic implications that is attached to them.
FG’s Uncertain Dance-Steps
In a policy summersault that shocked most environmental campaigners, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu last year ordered the suspension of a newly introduced 10 percent tax on single-use plastics. The policy was barely five months old when the federal government suspended it in a country that is one of the biggest plastic polluters on the continent.
Nigeria generates over 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, some of which end up in the sea, official data shows.
The fact that this condition would continue unabated ruffled many environmentalists when the order suspending the green tax on single-use plastics including plastic containers and bottles was announced.
The Lagos Example
Some weeks ago, the Lagos State Government decided not to dance around an issue that has consistently terrorized the environment. The land of Aquatic splendor took a bold step that generated great excitement among lovers of the environment.
The government in Lagos descended massively with a ban on Styrofoam and single-use plastics. The government had cited the huge environmental pollution in the state created by its indiscriminate disposal and hereby agreed that there was no going back on the total ban on the usage and distribution of Styrofoam in the state.
According to a report, Lagos generates 870,000 tonnes of plastic and loses N7bn annually managing waste.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who spoke on behalf of the state said enough damage had been done already to the health of the people and the state of the environment.
He said, “The only moratorium which the state is willing to offer all producers and distributors of Styrofoam is to delay commencement of enforcement of the ban by three weeks. Three weeks is enough time for the products already in the state to be exhausted if indeed the stockists are committed.
“You will agree with me that the pronouncement on banning Styrofoam was made over three years ago but that no one has tried to enforce the law till now.”
The commissioner said drainage networks were often clogged due to the reckless disposal of non-biodegradable items; roads and markets are littered despite the best efforts of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority.
Wahab noted that the larger chunk of littering across major roads and markets which LAWMA contends with daily was made up of styrofoams, stressing that the state government cannot fold its hands and watch the continued desecration of its environment, especially as a coastal city.
Dangers In Styrofoam & Plastics
Styrofoam is widely utilized in packaging food service, and construction due to its lightweight, insulating properties. However, its disposal poses a critical problem as it is non-biodegradable and difficult to recycle efficiently. This material can cause cancer, hence it is not healthy, and also the environmental impact has a repercussion, whereby it goes directly to the oceans and other water bodies, which in turn affects the biodiversity of the ecosystem, especially the fish in water.
According to a study released last year, the Philippines is cited as having the highest portion of plastic waste flowing out of its rivers, according to one 2021 study, followed by India, Malaysia, China, and Indonesia.
Researchers from Resource Futures, an environmental consultancy, and Tearfund, an international Christian charity, found that communities in Cameroon, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Bangladesh and Indonesia had experienced more severe flooding due to plastic waste blocking drainage systems in the last few years. In these communities, plastic waste was a “risk multiplier” for flooding, they said.
France, Austria, Italy, and Germany have banned certain types of plastic bags in favour of compostable bags which can break down into natural components when disposed of correctly. Other countries such as China, have completely outlawed any plastic other than compostables when it comes to bags. The big question has always remained – with the obvious dangers of these products why are government, brands, and individuals treating it with kid gloves over the years?
Abia State Joins The League
The example by Lagos did not go unnoticed as other states are joining the league. Abia State government has joined the move to address the challenges of Styrofoam in Nigeria. The state government in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Environment, Philemon Ogbonna, said the use of the product as food containers has been banned in the state.
He noted that Take Away had earlier been banned in some states, including Lagos, and therefore, advised the public to immediately discontinue the use of the foils until investigations are fully carried out on the dangers of the product to public health.
In a recent report, some defaulters were on Saturday, arrested and sanctioned in Umuahia during the January 2024 Clean Up exercise in the State. The defaulters, who were arrested in some parts of the State capital during the environmental sanitation hours, were caught either trading or loitering, in contravention of the government’s earlier orders.
Environmentalist Lauds Move
The recent decision by the Lagos State Government to enforce the ban on the use of styrofoams has generated support, underscoring the intricacies of environmental policies within urban areas. Advocates of the ban commended the government’s dedication to addressing environmental issues, especially in curbing pollution and safeguarding ecosystems.
An environmentalist, Seyifunmi Adebote, applauded the Lagos State Government for taking the move to effect the ban on Styrofoam in the state.
He said, “I know it was a very hard decision at the time, but also the best of many of such decisions that the state government plans to take for the health of our environment, and we as people living in the environment.
“I understand that it is going to be a lot of sacrifices and a lot of challenges for brands, small-scale businesses and people in the how-rank of the economic ladder, however, it is an opportunity for innovations for more sustainable and healthier options in terms of packaging and the use of resources. I have always wondered why we still use styrofoam because it has been banned in many parts of the world, and it is not because they do not like the convenience that comes with it, but because they understand that chemicals that come in direct contact with food can affect the state of one’s health.”
The issue of single-use plastics has been on for over three years because the National Council on Environment decided that it must be phased out. However, since this pronouncement was made, no state or government at the federal level had taken it upon themselves to enforce, until Lagos State took the decision.
In addition, several studies have shown that some of the fish in our ocean end up eating these plastic materials. As these fishes ingest the plastics, humans eventually consume the fish, leading to the transmission of some diseases from the contaminated fishes to humans.
What about the food and catering industry? Polystyrene plates are used to serve many on an hourly basis, with plastic spoons to boot. These are never recycled, because they are cheap and brittle. It has become so bad that the easiest way to identify a ‘big’ party or social event venue is to look out for waste polystyrene plates heaped on the streets like a colourful mini dumpsite.
Brands Join The Fray
Just as the government and many pro-environment individuals champion this cause to protect our surroundings, brands, especially those in the food sector are joining the league with enthusiasm. Food Concepts Plc, the holding company for QSR Giants, Chicken Republic has asked its customers to consider bringing their reusable food containers to their outlets to buy food if they want take-aways.
In a statement signed by the Managing Director, Food Concepts PLC, Koli Abunu, the company wrote, “Effective immediately, all our outlets in Lagos will commence the transition from using Styrofoam packs for both walk-in and online orders.
“We encourage our citizens across the state to bring their own reusable food containers. In line with our commitment to sustainability, we will charge for reusable plastic takeaway containers henceforth. We are also actively working towards reducing our overall plastic footprint.”
Earlier this month, Chowdeck, a company that provides platforms for ordering meals, grocery items, and medicine, from restaurants, stores, and pharmacies, introduced a N200 fee for customers who want their orders packaged in the platform’s signature brown paper bags and stickers.
The move, according to the company, was part of a gradual phasing-out of paper use, amid a tough economic environment.
“We have explored recycling the bags, and the output of that effort is insignificant compared to the sheer size of bags that we need to keep up delivering with the bags. Until we can, we will phase out the widespread use of paper bags and stickers,” the co-founder and chief executive of Chowdeck, Mr Femi Aluko said.
In the same vein, Local food vendors operating in different parts of Lagos State are in a quandary as the ban on ‘take-away’ containers and single-use plastic has left them with few alternatives. Some are voicing their frustration, saying that customers should bring their plates if they are not ready to eat within
The Challenge of Recycling
Last year, to effectively reduce the rise in plastic pollution, the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, an international network working towards a waste-free world without incineration called on the Nigerian government to ban single-use plastics.
Speaking at the workshop, which had the theme, ‘Nigeria plastic treaty post INC-2 Debriefing,’ the GAIA Clean Energy Campaigner for Nigeria, Weyinmi Okotie, said, “We are calling on the government to enforce an immediate ban on single-use plastics.
“The problem is not totally about plastics, but those plastics that you use once and throw away. We are calling for a ban on such plastics and the government should find a way to reduce the production of plastics generally.
“This is because if the volume of production is so much, it is going to overwhelm the system in Nigeria. The rise of plastic pollution across the country is becoming alarming.”
“Nigeria must advocate for the implementation of a comprehensive plastics trade tracking system. Encourage research and strong policy implementation to phase out single-use plastics.”
On his part, a senior official at the Centre for Earth Work, Benson Fasanya, stated that Nigerians discarded an average of 60 million water sachets daily, and this was causing enormous pollution across the country.
Fasanya said, “A lot of people think plastic waste can be managed through recycling, but the truth is that recycling has never been a solution.
“For instance, America has some of the best technology in recycling, but since plastic pollution started several decades ago, they’ve only recycled nine percent, and the global average is 10 percent.
“So it is obvious that we cannot manage this by increasing their recycling content, because it will not solve the problem. Rather we need to reduce the production of plastics.”
Disposable plastics prove to be detrimental in all ramifications, with no positive impact on the economy. Embracing alternatives, such as carrying a portable mug and food flask or choosing to enjoy meals in a restaurant setting, provides practical solutions. Individuals and brands must adapt to these sustainable practices for the betterment of our environment and overall well-being.
