The federal government through the Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with stakeholders, is to phase out non-bio degradable plastics.
Speaking at the 2018 World Environment Day in Abuja, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo explained that the ministry was working in partnership with state governments to develop a national plastic waste recycling programme.
According to him, eight of the plastic waste recycling plants have been completed and handed over to the states. Eighteen others were in various stages of completion.
He said: “In addition, the Federal Government is also collaborating with the state governments to establish plastic waste recycling plants under the community-based waste management programme in the ministry.”
The vice president said two plants have been completed in Ilorin, Kwara State; one in Lokoja, Kogi State and work was ongoing on another in Karu Local Government Area of Nassarawa State – all in Northcentral geopolitical zone.
He said there were two privately-run plastic recycling plants in Gombe and Kano states.
Osinbajo said questions have been raised about limited options for cheap packaging of food and drinks, especially where consumers are relatively poor; micro marketing methods of fast moving consumer goods in sachets; and the retailing of detergents also in sachets.
He challenged multi-national corporations that produce fast-moving goods in plastics to take action towards managing plastic wastes.
“It is my view that for controlling the proliferation of plastic sachets, we must go back to the major producers of fast-moving goods to put in place recycling programmes that could effectively ensure that while we seek environmentally-friendly options for packaging, we are keeping the environment as free of plastics as possible,” he said.
