Abuja — Henceforth, tough times awaits owners and sellers of unserviceable electrical and electronic products as the government plans to flush such items out of the country.

To this end, two regulatory bodies, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, (NESREA), and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) are to collaborate to ensure that the country does not become a dumping ground for such materials which constitute e- waste.

The decision was reached yesterday when the Director General of the CPC, Mrs. Ify Umenyi, paid a courtesy visit to the Director General of NESREA, Dr (Mrs.) Ngeri S. Benebo in her office.

According to Dr. Benebo, though NESREA has taken steps to ensure that Nigeria does not become a dumping ground for toxic materials, there was the need for collaboration and cooperation with sister agencies to ensure that the environment is made safe for the Nigerian people.

"Since the story of the dumping of toxic waste broke, we have been working to ensure that the problem in nipped in the bud. We have visited the Alaba International Market and have held consultations with the importers and they are willing to collaborate with us.

"What was reported as toxic waste were actually unserviceable electrical and electronic materials which are balkanised for their parts. In so doing, unsuspecting Nigerians are exposed to dangerous toxins and other chemicals. We have to educate Nigerians on the dangers of indiscriminate disposal of such waste, and the dangers they posed to those expose to it. We are working hard on this" she told the visiting Director General of the CPC.

Dr. Benebo ,however, called for strengthening of relevant laws governing the importation of unserviceable electrical and electronic materials into the country, pointing out that this would go a long way in ensuring that Nigeria does not become a dumping ground for electronic waste.

In her remarks, the Director General of the CPC, Mrs. Umenyi said her agency was ready to collaborate with NESREA to ensure that consumers are not short changed and they get value for their money.

A committee comprising members of the two agencies was set up to work out the modalities for the cooperation between the two agencies to check the dumping of hazardous materials in the country.