In commemoration of the 2023 World Environmental Day’ marked today, June 5, with the theme: “Ecosystem Restoration” some experts in the country have expressed concern that despite efforts to restore sanity to earth, the challenges seem to be hydra-headed.
The problems also tend to be huge ranging from marine pollution which is basically plastic waste, environmental and drainage blockages by human waste plastic inclusive, and other factors such as smoke and gas emissions from automobiles and industrial plants.
This is not to say that efforts are not being made to contain the challenges, but the human population explosion which, in a way, contributes to this, had not helped the situation.
This also accounts for the reason why huge efforts through numerous advocacy campaigns by environmentalists, and private and government agencies had not yielded any positive results toward ameliorating the challenges.
Speaking on why environmental pollution, especially the uncontrollable waste from sachet water popularly used in Nigeria persists to clog drainages and litter the roads, the founder and Chief Executive of Alon Green Recycling, Oludolapo Olusanmokun stated that the problem is a complex one that affects the system from the top to the bottom as well as from the bottom to the up.
“We need legislation that will actually ban or at least curb single-use plastic. If not immediately, but at least have a one or two-year road map within which they want to achieve it.
“This is because, when you look at it, the vast majority of Nigerians drink pure water. If we don’t have an alternative to packaging water sachets, we can’t even talk about banning single-use plastics”.
“Then from the bottom-up, we are going to need massive ongoing sensitization from the Federal and State governments combined over an extended period, so that people would be more aware of the hazards plastic pollution is causing.
”The average Nigerian is not aware of the ills of micro-plastics getting into the atmosphere or seafood we consume,” she said.
Speaking further, Oludolapo noted the fight to contain the menace is a huge one, maintaining that enforcing the laws should make a top list among government-prioritized agenda items on environment and health policies.
“It’s going to take multiple penetration points, government legislation without people understanding the hazards will be futile.
“Enforcement of the legislation is yet a whole new topic that all stakeholders should not take for granted,” she noted.
She, however, cast some doubts about the immediate total elimination of sachet water nylon sacs which according to her, is a bit economical in the context of the Nigerian economy level.
“But in all honestly, I wonder what kind of biodegradable and cost-effective packaging for example can replace pure water sachets,” she said, while challenging all stakeholders to think outside the box to proffer solutions to the problems.
East Africa has moved with the adaptation of paper bags in place of plastic or nylon. Other countries in Europe have also adopted methods where plastic pollution is reduced by introducing incentives that allow “return and get paid” legislation.