The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), the Lagos State Government, and other stakeholders have urged Nigerians to join hands to beat the plastic pollution menace.
The stakeholders made the call on Tuesday in Lagos at an event organised by the NCF to mark the 2025 World Environment Day (WED), with the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”.
Speaking at the event, Mrs Titilayo Oshodi, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, described plastic as an object of value.
Oshodi added that plastic had become an object for negotiation that would drive commerce within an economy for environmental sustainability.
She said the state generates 13,000 tonnes of plastic annually.
“The state still has so many other aspects of waste that are beyond plastic that are available for economic development, green technology, and environmental sustainability.
“So, if we are tackling pollution from a waste management perspective, it unlocks potential for waste collectors.
“It unlocks potential and solutions for people who are in innovation and technology to be able to leverage digitised solutions to drive inefficiency for collection, dispassion, export purposes, and treatment of plastic.
“Also, we are not limited to just plastic alone. ‘Our world is becoming more and more based on the level of evolution,’ she said.
Oshodi stressed the need for opportunities and awareness programmes to help people to understand what was economically viable in the area and the generation of waste.
“Now, it is waste in transition because the value X is infinitesimal; waste can be converted to anything for anybody in any community, from cash to recharge cards to subsidy in social amenity, transport.
“We need to start being very mindful and intentional about how we manage our waste. Yes, we are talking about plastic, but plastic is not the only waste that is being generated in an average and typical home.
“We need to be mindful about driving the sensational narrative; people need to start developing ways to connect with the other people using waste.
“Establish an ecosystem, eco-school or eco-club in your communities, churches, mosques, at your place of work.
“Let there be a drive for a sustainable environment; drive inclusivity and create bans of economic transaction for waste to be transitioned for valuable items,“ she said.
Also, the Director General, NCF, Dr Joseph Onoja, said the 2025 WED theme was resurfacing the second time this decade because of the importance of plastic pollution.
“There have been negotiations; I think this will be the fifth negotiation about a global treaty on how to deal with plastic pollution in our environment.
“Therefore, it is very important that we all come together and the importance of this cannot be overstated because sometimes we normally look at government.
“We also look at organisations to see that they are the ones who do the work of beating plastic pollution, but it lies in individuals.
“So, I want to call on each individual: what are you doing to be able to beat plastic pollution in your space? So, the first thing to do is for us to refuse.
“If we must not, then we should not; and that is why I am happy with the Lagos State Government that has banned single-use plastics,“ Onoja said.