World Courant
“Take your plates with you” was once Rooster Republic’s brazen response to Lagos State’s sudden ban on Styrofoam and single-use plastics. The Nigerian quick meals franchise, identified for its signature Styrofoam packaging, welcomed the brand new growth introduced by the Commissioner for Atmosphere and Water Assets, Tokunbo Wahab. The ban is a response to the risk that single-use plastics, particularly non-biodegradable Styrofoam, pose to the surroundings.
It is a step in the fitting route to fight environmental air pollution. It additionally highlights the rising want for companies to adapt to a extra sustainable future. But the sudden ban additionally raises a number of points, such because the influence on companies and shoppers, and the effectiveness of enforcement.
The specter of Styrofoam
Styrofoam and different single-use plastics are a serious supply of plastic air pollution, which harms wildlife, ecosystems and human well being. In line with the United Nations Atmosphere Program (UNEP), at the very least 14 million tons of plastic enter our oceans yearly, the place it breaks down into microplastics that may enter the meals chain and contaminate water sources. Plastic waste additionally contributes to local weather change as a result of it releases greenhouse gases when it’s damaged down or burned.
Sadly, Nigeria is the second largest importer of plastic in Africa, accounting for 17 p.c of the continent’s whole plastic consumption. In Lagos, Nigeria’s financial capital and the continent’s most populous metropolis, this poses an ongoing risk to the city panorama. Plastic and Styrofoam waste has been linked to flooding, lowered soil fertility and elevated illness transmission. In the meantime, the price of clearing these merchandise from roads and drains each day runs into tens of thousands and thousands of naira. The Lagos State Waste Administration Authority (LAWMA) spends about N6 billion ($14.6 million) per 12 months on waste administration, however solely recovers about 40 p.c of expenditure.
Around the globe, nations resembling Rwanda, Kenya, France and Canada have taken motion in opposition to using Styrofoam and single-use plastics by introducing bans or restrictions on these merchandise. These measures have lowered plastic consumption and amount and inspired using reusable or biodegradable alternate options. It has additionally led to modern alternate options.
The opposite aspect of the drainage
Nevertheless, implementing such insurance policies isn’t a simple transition. In 2008, Rwanda grew to become the primary African nation to impose an analogous ban. The ban prohibited the manufacturing, import, use and sale of non-biodegradable plastic luggage manufactured from polyethylene. They handed a legislation to make it official.
Nevertheless, Rwanda acknowledged that tackling plastic air pollution requires extra than simply passing laws. The federal government has launched intensive consciousness campaigns to coach and interact residents within the struggle in opposition to plastic waste. By highlighting the dangerous results of plastic air pollution on the surroundings, wildlife and human well being, Rwanda has efficiently promoted a way of duty and possession amongst its folks. In 2019, laws prolonged the ban to all single-use plastic merchandise.
In Lagos, the ban got here into impact on the identical day it was introduced. The abrupt ban will move 10,000 SMEs and greater than 100,000 jobs within the plastics business. In line with the US-Nigeria Commerce CouncilThis poses an enormous monetary burden, particularly for firms that stocked these merchandise. Phasing out using Styrofoam and single-use plastics may assist forestall this. Furthermore, the transition to alternate options could also be tougher than anticipated for a lot of Nigerians. Single-use plastic and Styrofoam are cheaper than different supplies. In line with a market report, the typical value of plastic merchandise in Nigeria is 30% decrease than that of paper or steel merchandise. Additionally many Nigerian meals, such because the notoriously fatty ones Ewa agoyin, a preferred Nigerian dish constituted of bean puree and spicy pepper sauce, presents a novel problem for various packaging. For instance, paper struggles to retain oil, doubtlessly affecting each the standard of the meals and the patron expertise.
Nigerians even have a infamous repute for struggling to adapt new legal guidelines. In line with a judgement of the Nigerian Local weather Change Act 2021, Nigeria faces a number of challenges within the implementation and enforcement of its local weather coverage. In comparison with earlier bans resembling that of industrial bikes In 2020, Styrofoam and plastic are extra inclined to smuggling. This poses a further hurdle. To handle this, modern methods are wanted, resembling neighborhood involvement and stricter monitoring.
No matter how this goes, the underside line is that the surroundings should be protected against the dangerous results of plastic air pollution. Nigeria does involved to the struggle in opposition to local weather change. Reacting to the Lagos ban, the Federal Authorities mentioned the ban on sure plastic supplies has develop into inevitable. Nigerians should be ready for built-in round administration of our waste. Though the implementation method may have been extra considerate, the need is and modification of this coverage can’t be emphasised sufficient.
Can Nigerians adapt to a plastic-free future?
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