Lagos State in southwestern Nigeria, which includes the country’s huge economic capital with almost 20 million inhabitants, has banned the use of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics on January 21, 2024. The measure is aimed at reducing pollution.
Toute l'actu sur la protection de l'environnement
Lagos State in southwestern Nigeria, which includes the country’s huge economic capital with almost 20 million inhabitants, has banned the use of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics on January 21, 2024. The measure is aimed at reducing pollution.
Cleaning up single-use plastics costs tens of millions of naira a day, and the Lagos authorities refuse to sacrifice environmental protection to the economic interests of a few wealthy business owners. Single-use plastic and Styrofoam (a form of polystyrene) are now banned in this state of some 22 million inhabitants in south-western Nigeria.
Fines will be imposed on companies that fail to comply with this measure, which aims to curb the impact of plastic on the environment. Street vendors and markets in Lagos use polystyrene containers to package food and products. This packaging is a health hazard for consumers, and its constant use has led to clogged roads and blocked sewers in the city, increasing the risk of flooding and threats to biodiversity.
The challenge of enforcing anti-plastic laws in Africa
While welcoming this important decision, the non-governmental organization (NGO) Greenpeace Afrique points out that enforcing it and repairing the existing damage is a monumental task. « We urge the Lagos State Government not only to enforce the ban effectively, but also to strengthen plastics policies and regulations, » says Hellen Kahaso Dena, Pan-African Plastics Project Manager at Greenpeace Africa.
Out of 54 African countries, 34 have either passed a law banning plastics and implemented it, or have passed a law with the intention of implementing it. Of these, 16 have either completely banned plastic bags or partially banned them, without yet introducing regulations to enforce these bans. Compared to the rest of the world, the continent seems to be doing an excellent job, yet the reality on the ground is different.
In Cameroon, where the ban was adopted in 2014, covering the import, production and sale of single-use plastic items, almost nothing has changed in people’s habits. In this Central African country, over 6 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced every year. Smugglers transiting through the north from Nigeria continue to supply the market with single-use plastic. Despite this, the Cameroon government has reiterated its willingness to work with key players to find « innovative solutions ».
Fanta Mabo
Motorists and generators are cited as the main sources of air quality deterioration in Lagos State, Nigeria. In a statement issued on 15 January 2024, the local government stresses the need for green and improved air throughout the state to ensure healthy living.
On Monday 15 January 2024, in Lagos, Nigeria, the Lagos Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) issued a statement noting that current air quality in many parts of the state is poor. According to IQAIR, a platform that publishes real-time data on air quality, the air pollution index in Lagos is currently 152 US AQIs, 13.4 times higher than the concentration of PM2.5 particles recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
PM2.5 are fine particles, emitted mainly during combustion processes. They have a diameter of 2.5 microns (μm). Like all particles, they are made up of a mixture of different chemical compounds.
Stressing the need for green and improved air throughout the State to ensure a healthy life, Dr Babatunde Ajayi, Director General of LASEPA said that such a high level of air pollution is dangerous for human health. Residents of the affected areas could suffer from respiratory diseases such as lung infections, asthma, cystic fibrosis, mesothelioma, pulmonary hypertension and runny noses, among others.
Second leading risk factor for death in Africa
Having identified emissions from generators in residential areas and vehicle emissions as the main causes of poor air quality in certain regions, LASEPA is urging people to switch to biofuels, which are safer and more environmentally friendly than diesel or petrol.
The agency is also advocating reducing the number of vehicles on the roads by carpooling or preferring public transport to people putting their cars on the road every day.
This situation is becoming more widespread across the continent. According to the report on « The state of air quality and its effects on health in Africa » recently produced by the State of Global Air initiative, air pollution is the second most common risk factor for death in Africa. In 2019, for example, air pollution contributed to 1.1 million deaths, 63% of which were linked to exposure to household air pollution (HAP).
Fanta Mabo
NIGERIA: cars and generators explode air pollution in Lagos
Motorists and generators are cited as the main sources of air quality deterioration in Lagos State, Nigeria. In a statement issued on 15 January 2024, the local government stresses the need for green and improved air throughout the state to ensure healthy living.