The groups noted that government policies were crucial to combatting plastic pollution more than grassroots solutions.
The Lagos State Government last week announced the ban on the use of Styrofoam with immediate effect.
The government cited the huge environmental pollution in the state created by its indiscriminate disposal.
The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said enough damage had been done already to the health of the people and the environment.
“The only moratorium which the state is willing to offer all producers and distributors of Styrofoam is to delay commencement of enforcement of the ban by three weeks. Three weeks is enough time for the products already in the state to be exhausted if indeed the stockists are committed.
“You will agree with me that the pronouncement on banning Styrofoam was made over three years ago but that no one has tried to enforce the law till now,” he said during a consultative meeting with representatives of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Restaurant and Food Services Proprietor Association of Nigeria in Ikeja.
The non-governmental organisations, U-recycle Initiative Africa, Plogging Nigeria, Green With Grin, and others noted that “we express our full support for the recent decision made by the Lagos State Government to ban the use of styrofoam food packs in the state.”
“As youth-led organisations dedicated to promoting environmental stewardship and sustainability, we have conducted climate education outreaches in rural communities, organised weekly cleanups across universities, and developed numerous innovative solutions to address the plastic pollution crisis across Lagos,” they said in a joint statement made available to The PUNCH by U-recycle’s Executive Director, Oluwaseyi Moejoh.
The groups noted that grassroots solutions alone “cannot effectively combat plastic pollution crisis without the support of robust policies and systems. Therefore, we commend the Lagos State Government for taking decisive action in banning styrofoam packs, a significant step towards a cleaner and more sustainable future for Lagos and Nigeria.”
Styrofoam is a widely used packaging material popularly known as “takeaways” within the state, which like other single-use plastics, environmentalists note has severe environmental consequences.
“Its non-biodegradable nature contributes to pollution and poses a threat to human health. Styrofoam containers are created using styrene monomers, which could easily leach into stored food and act as carcinogens when consumed,” the environmental groups stressed, adding that “it contributes to the blockage of drainages and waterways, resulting in increased flooding.”
They proposed reusable and biodegradable food packaging materials.
The statement was jointly signed by U-recycle Initiative Africa, Plogging Nigeria, Aquaworld Community Development Initiative, Dhoney Adire and Crafts Nigeria, GreenWithGrin, and Eco.Biz.
Others include: Cleaner And Healthier Nature Initiative, The Green Club Unilag, Zero Plastic Straw Community, LEARNBLUE, EcoDiversified International, Dawn Project Network, RecyclubNG, Tiwa Talks Green LTD/GTE and SustyVibes.
