Governments, businesses, groups and individuals are gearing up for the celebration of World Environment Day (WED) today, while finding solutions to the scourge of plastic pollution, which is a visible threat that impacts every community around the world.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of WED, celebrated every June 5, after it was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972. Over the past five decades, the day has grown to be one of the largest global platforms for environmental outreach. Tens of millions of people participate online and through in-person activities, events and actions around the world.
More than 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year worldwide, half of which is designed for single-use. Of that, less than 10 per cent is recycled, while an estimated 19-23 million tonnes end up in lakes, rivers and seas yearly. Nigeria is estimated to generate about 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly, while in Lagos State, plastic accounts for 15 per cent of the total waste generated. The situation is likely to worsen as Nigeria’s population grows, from more than 220 million people now to an expected over 400 million by the end of 2050.
To curb the growth, governments last year at the United Nations Environment Assembly agreed to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, with the ambition to complete the negotiations by the end of 2024.
The first meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-1) was held in Uruguay in December and the second session of the (INC-2) ended at the weekend. With the support of the Secretariat, the delegates plan to prepare a zero draft of the agreement ahead of the next session, due to take place in Nairobi, Kenya, in November.
MEANWHILE, the Lagos State government has commenced a sensitisation campaign to discourage single-use plastics within the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, as members of staff who came into the complex with single-use polythene bags and plastic bottles had them exchanged with multi-use bags and water bottles.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Gaji Omobolaji, who spoke to some of the staff, said plastic waste has become a critical issue affecting the environment, if not properly disposed of, usually ends up in the ocean, thereby endangering marine and human life.
Represented by the Director of Environmental Education, Mrs. Monsurat Banire, he explained that plastic waste, especially pet bottles and styrofoam, had become a menace in society and getting rid of these items has become hard, adding that an increase in its improper disposal portends great danger to human health.
IN a related development, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has pledged its readiness to provide practical solutions through adaptable eco-friendly strategies.
Some of the proposed activities include school recycling initiative; beach/community clean-up and upcycling. These would be done with the aim of protecting the environment by limiting the volume of plastics going into landfills and promoting environmental education among young Nigerians.
NCF Director General, Dr. Joseph Onoja, said: “There must be a systemic change to stop the flow of plastic waste ending up in our environment. Out of the seven billion tons of plastic waste generated globally so far, less than 10 per cent has been recycled.
‘Plastic waste, whether in a river, the ocean or on land can persist in the environment for centuries. Most plastic items are not degradable as they rather break down into smaller particles called microplastics which recent studies have found in human lungs, livers and kidneys.”
