The Lagos State government has made it clear that the single-use plastics (SUP) ban, which goes into effect on July 1st, 2025, does not apply to nylon carrier bags, PET bottles, or pure water sachets, which are more than 40 microns thick.
Tokunbo Wahab, the commissioner of environment and water resources in Lagos, made this disclosure available on Tuesday in a statement.
It adhered to what the government called “deliberate viral misrepresentations,” which suggested the ban was applicable to all types of SUPs.
Wahab reaffirmed that the state’s position is unchanged, noting that the ban only affects particular single-use plastic product categories.
The commissioner stated in a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina, that “our focus is still on styrofoam food packs, all types of polystyrene (disposable) cups, plastic straws, plastic cutlery, and all single-use carrier bags and nylons.”
The state government launched the Plastic Waste Management Fund, a collaborative effort between the government, producers, and Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs). To further its commitment, the state government set up the fund.
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The fund, which will be jointly managed and used, will be used to address Lagos’ persistent problem of plastic waste, according to the commissioner. It will be funded by contributions from producers and significant importers.
Following the conclusion of an 18-month moratorium that was announced in January 2024, Wahab reiterated that the ban would start to be enforced on July 1.
The commissioner for environment and water resources explained that the policy’s stakeholders had plenty of time to adjust during this time.
He stated in a separate post on Monday that “this is about environmental responsibility.” We have followed best practices from around the world for a while. What is unacceptable elsewhere cannot be accepted in Lagos. We must invest in our future and pursue good deeds.
“We’re not here to win any points,” the statement read. The purpose of our presence is to accomplish the work. We will insist on accountability and responsibility, just like we did with the Styrofoam ban’s successful enforcement. If everyone plays their part, we could have a cleaner, healthier Lagos.
The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), also known as KAI, has already taken action in response to this enforcement.
The agency seized $5 million worth of seized styrofoam packs in Epe and other locations throughout the state in a collaboration with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).
The federal government made a ban on single-use plastics throughout all ministries, divisions, and agencies in June 2024.
Iziaq Salako, the minister of state for environment, told journalists after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council that the 2020 National Policy on Plastic Waste Management (NPWM) wants to have some plastic categories banned from the country by January 2025.
Source: Channels TV
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