The Lagos State Government has made a big move by taking away a large amount of styrofoam in the Ifako/Ijaye area of the state.
This step is part of their plan to stop people from using and giving out single-use plastic, especially non-biodegradable styrofoam, because these materials are bad for the environment, especially in this crowded place.
The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) did this job on Monday after they got some information. The Lagos State Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, shared this in a post.
In a video with the post, you could see LAGESC officials loading many trucks with the styrofoam they took.
“With good info, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (@LAGESCOfficial) caught and took the most styrofoam ever in the state,” Wahab’s post partly said.
The message also showed that the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources is serious about making the environment safe and healthy for everyone in Lagos.
What you should know
Single-use plastics (SUPs) are things used once and then thrown away, causing a big mess for our surroundings and our health around the world. Styrofoam is a type of plastic often used for packing and making plates in eating places.
In January 2024, the Lagos State Government said no more using or spreading single-use plastics, like non-biodegradable styrofoam, all over the state.
They made this choice because these plastics hurt the environment, especially in packed places like Lagos.
The rule started being enforced in February, and since then, the Lagos State Government has taken a lot of styrofoam away.
The state asked the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) to start this action right away, going after companies making and spreading these items to stop more from being used.
The Lagos State Government said there are laws and rules, like the National Environmental (Sanitation and Waste Control) Regulation of 2009 made under the NESREA Act, banning single-use plastics, but these rules weren’t enforced well before. Also, the 2017 State Environmental Management and Protection Law allows the state to “stop any activity that is bad for people’s health or the environment.”
The government told those making, selling, and using styrofoam to follow the new rule and find other options. They warned that not listening could lead to big fines, having their business shut down, and having to pay for cleaning their products from streets and drains, which could cost millions of naira daily.