The Lagos State Government wants to clear up something about its new rule on not using certain plastics. The good news is that PET bottles and sachet water won’t be banned. Mr. Bankole Michael Omoniyi, who works at the Lagos State Ministry of Environment, explained this on a podcast called “Understanding the Ban on Single-Use Plastics and Styrofoam (Government Perspective)”.
Why are they doing this? Well, the government wants to help nature by reducing plastic waste in places like rivers and lakes in Lagos, a city by the water.
“We are not saying PET bottles and sachet water are banned,” Mr. Omoniyi assured everyone.
He mentioned that they have thought long and hard about this plan.
They want to make sure the city is ready to fight climate change. They are worried about rising sea levels that might cause some areas to be underwater by 2050.
What is banned?
Here are the items that will not be allowed:
- Nylon bags thinner than a strand of hair (less than 40 microns)
- Plastic forks and spoons
- Plastic straws
- Styrofoam cups and plates
It’s important to know that some news stories wrongly said sachet water and PET bottles would be banned. It’s not true!
This rule is about keeping Lagos clean and preventing more plastic waste in water bodies. Properly throwing away garbage is a big help.
What you should know
The decision to ban some plastics comes after seeing lots of plastic mess all around.
Mr. Omoniyi remembered a day in Surulere where rain caused streets to flood with plastic waste. Yikes!
Scientists found tiny plastic pieces called microplastics in humans and even unborn babies. Spooky, right?
Lagos loves its seafood, but eating fish filled with microplastics is not fun.
“We are eating not just fish, but also microplastics,” Mr. Omoniyi warned.
They spoke with many people to make this fair, especially those who sell plastics. They don’t want people to lose jobs.
No one could agree on when to start this nationwide, so Lagos decided to go ahead alone.
After many talks, they decided that PET bottles and sachet water wouldn’t be banned.
Responsible plastic management
Besides the ban, Lagos wants everyone to manage plastic waste responsibly. They’ve introduced a new plan called extended producer responsibility or EPR.
All companies and people involved with plastics have to play a part.
“Everyone needs to agree to extended producer responsibility,” Mr. Omoniyi explained.
He shared two ways to manage waste: make places to collect and recycle garbage or create a fund to manage plastic waste.
“It’s about letting people handle their own waste,” he added.