Federal Government and environmental stakeholders have taken steps to address the growing challenges of plastic waste pollution in the country. Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, the minister of state for environment, Iziaq Salako, underscored the environmental concerns regarding plastic waste in the country. The stakeholders meeting was on the draft National Guidelines for the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging in Nigeria. Mr Salako, who was represented by Ahmadu Jibril, assistant director, solid waste, ministry of environment. He said that the objectives of the Basel Convention, to which Nigeria is a signatory, were to protect human health and the environment by establishing appropriate control mechanisms and regulations for hazardous waste generated by the international community, among others. The minister said the convention also aimed to reduce the number of transboundary movements and quantity of hazardous waste to a minimum, as well as manage and dispose of these wastes in an environmentally sound manner. ”Furthermore, the Amendment of the Convention a few years ago, which identified and included plastic waste as hazardous.
The document is also designed to aid in the establishment of a Plastic Packaging Registry in the country. Speaking at a stakeholder consultation meeting Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said that the primary purpose of the draft National Guidelines, once in force, is to provide comprehensive guidelines that will serve as a roadmap for all stakeholders. Adekunle who was represented by the director of solid waste, Ahmadu Jibril said, the guidelines will align with circular economy principles and sustainability efforts, ultimately aiming to eliminate plastic pollution and reduce the adverse impacts of Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) on the environment. “It is our hope that this final review will yield a robust instrument that will stand the test of time in managing plastic packaging, plastic waste, and plastic pollution across their life cycle.” The Minister expressed that environmental concerns regarding plastic waste cannot be overemphasised, noting that the National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP) predicts that by 2030, plastic waste is expected to double to 165 million tonnes in African countries.
“These countries are Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. This calls for comprehensive value chain approaches to addressing and curbing plastic pollution in Africa. Reports indicate that the world’s oceans contain an estimated 100 million metric tonnes of plastic, with about 90% of this quantity originating from land-based sources.” He said that the government is a signatory to the Basel Convention, which aims to protect human health and the environment by establishing appropriate control mechanisms and regulations for hazardous waste generated by the international community. The Convention also aims to reduce the number of transboundary movements and quantity of hazardous waste to a minimum and manage and dispose of these wastes in an environmentally sound manner. A few years ago, the Convention was amended to include plastic waste as hazardous, which prohibits the transportation of plastic waste from one country to another.
He said the government are not only required to ensure the environmentally sound management of plastic waste but also to tackle plastic waste at its source. In his remarks, Director General of NESREA, Dr. Innocent Barikor, explained that the guidelines set clear targets for the collection, recycling, and recovery of plastic waste, ensuring progress towards a circular economy where materials are reused and recycled rather than discarded. Barikor also called for specific guidelines to address various aspects of plastics, including household goods such as combs, hangers, pegs/clips, toothbrushes, brooms, spatulas, etc The EPR guideline is plastic packaging sector-specific and provides a comprehensive framework that outlines the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders, including the private sector, the public sector, and civil society.
