At a consultation meeting with stakeholders in the manufacturing and food service sectors, the Lagos State Government reaffirmed its commitment to outlawing the use and distribution of styrofoam and other single-use plastics in the state.
Producers and distributors of polystyrene have been given a three-week grace period by the government to comply with the prohibition or face harsh penalties.
Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, made the announcement on Sunday, January 21, stating that the ban was required to safeguard the locals’ lives and the environment from the damaging impacts of single-use plastics and styrofoam.
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In an attempt to identify alternatives to polystyrene, he said the government had been in contact with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Restaurant and Food Services Proprietor Association of Nigeria (REFSPAN) for more than three years, but the replies had been inadequate.
He listed a number of reasons for the prohibition, including the obstruction of drainage channels, road floods, the extinction of aquatic species, and the health risks associated with single-use plastics and Styrofoam.
According to him, the government could not jeopardise the prosperity of millions of Lagos residents in favour of the financial gain of a small number of company owners.He exhorted locals and customers to switch to reusable water bottles and food containers in favour of single-use plastics and Styrofoam.
In addition, he gave the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) and the State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) instructions to start enforcing the prohibition following the three-week moratorium.
He threatened to shut down their businesses, impose high fines, and perhaps even go to court if they disobeyed.
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