Dealing with Nigeria's Plastics Deluge #AfricaClimateCrisis

Decreasing the usage of plastic and increasing its recycling is the aim of a resolution being presented at a United Nations Environment Program conference. According to the UNEP, 300,000 tons of plastic are produced yearly, and only 10% recycled, contributing to environmental pollution is reaching critical levels.

Unfortunately, Nigeria hasn't done much in this regard. Plastic pollution has become such a serious problem in Nigeria that it has virtually become a sign of human activity. People who visit beaches, riverbanks, parks, and waterfalls frequently dump their plastic bottles carelessly, despite the dangers that such plastics pose to the environment, writes Emmanuel O. Akindele for The Conversation.

Nigerian lawmakers considered a bill in 2019 to prohibit the use of plastic bags. The bill is still in limbo. It is yet to undergo further reading and has not been enacted into law. Consequently, plastic bags are being indiscriminately used in Nigeria. The evidence of the harm this does is mounting.

The first step will be to address poor waste management practices prevalent in the country. Businesses will have to stop providing free plastic bags. These bags are often discarded after a single-use. To discourage the practice, governments should levy a high fee on each plastic bag that shoppers get at malls and markets. Paying for a bag could discourage people from discarding them after a single-use. Since packaging is the leading cause of plastic pollution in the environment, the Nigerian government needs to launch a campaign and crackdown on plastic bags and bottles in the country. The public will need to be educated on the three Rs: reduce, recycle, and reuse plastic materials. The government needs to educate the public about the dangers of discarding water sachets and bottles in the environment. And it must ensure access to clean water, reports Akindele.