LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT REFUNDS 145 FORMER SUBSCRIBERS OF EGAN HOUSING ESTATE
admin Full enforcement of the ban on single-use plastic will begin soon in Lagos State. The government, at the weekend, hosted the Food and Beverages Recyclers Alliance (FBRA) to discuss modalities for the initiative.
The meeting held at the conference room of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.
The Commissioner, Tokunbo Wahab, said the state is very strategic and intentional about enforcing the ban on Single Use Plastic (SUP). According to him, the meeting also discussed other issues involving both parties, such as the extended producer responsibilities and what FBRA is doing behind the scene to work with the government.
He added: “We commended them for their efforts and we agreed on some other things to solidify the relationship. Sometime in January 2014, the government began enforcement of the ban on styrofoam with the commitment to add Single Use Plastics after 12 months.
“This stakeholders’ engagement would be a monthly affair for now, while an enforcement team will be constituted with massive advocacy and public sensitization before the enforcement begins. All decisions taken at the stakeholders’ engagement would help to stimulate positive results once the enforcement starts.
“We are now in February, we are involving critical stakeholders, and what we have agreed is to continue with serious engagement and advocacy with the association before the enforcement starts filly.
“We understand there is no way the ban won’t affect FBRA as business owners, manufacturers and suppliers. So part of this gathering is to work out the modalities that will lead us into full enforcement.
“Unlike styrofoam, SUP is more complicated and the government does not want to make mistakes in doing what it thinks is right for a sustainable environment. But, thankfully, the FBRA agree 100 per cent with the government, and we are glad they agreed that they need this ban more than even the government.”
Wahab emphasized that the government is not banning sachet water, but the usage of Single Use Plastics of less than 40 microns.
“We say to all Lagosians that the government is not banning pure water. We shall buy the sachets back and we are working round the buyback. I’m also glad that lots of interventions for recycling and reusing of the sachets are in the works; we are planning on signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LAFARGE next week on a particular use from their factory. These are directives we want to push and measures we are putting in place,” Wahab added.
Chairman of FBRA Ziad Maclouf described the ban as ‘a welcome development and long overdue’ He added that the association is set to introduce a new system where good alternatives that will be good for the economy and the environment can be produced.
Maclouf also said the association supports the government’s initiative and is encouraging its customers to now use thick plastic bags, even as the association is considering other ways to enlighten customers and members on waste separation and recycling to make money from it.
