Over the weekend, the Lagos State government took a decisive step by enforcing an immediate ban on the use and distribution of styrofoam and other single-use plastics.
Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, personally signed the statement, citing the severe environmental impact caused by these materials, particularly non-biodegradable styrofoam.
Wahab highlighted that the constant clogging of drainage channels with styrofoam, despite regular cleaning efforts, prompted this crucial decision. He emphasised that a significant portion of litter on major roads and markets consisted of styrofoam, posing an ongoing threat to the environment.
Expressing the government’s commitment to combating this issue, Wahab directed the State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) to immediately implement the ban.
These agencies were instructed to crack down on production companies and distribution outlets for styrofoam, aiming to prevent further environmental degradation.
Wahab clarified that the state’s action was grounded in existing laws and regulations, such as the National Environmental (Sanitation and Waste Control) Regulation 2009, established pursuant to the NESREA Act. Despite the pre-existing ban on single-use plastics in the country, enforcement had been lacking until now.
