…says pollution endangers human health.
Government and critical stakeholders have been called to engage consumers, local businesses, civil society and policy makers in Nigeria to tackle plastic pollution together with great vigor.
This charge was made at a press conference organised by the Consumer Protection Agency in Ogun State to commemorate the 2021 World Consumer Rights Day, an event which was held on Monday at the Conference Hall of Abeokuta Chamber of Commerce with the theme “Tackling Plastic Pollution”.
The World Consumer Rights Day is an annual occasion dedicated to highlight the power of consumers and their rights for a fair, safe and a sustainable marketplace for everyone.
While delivering his paper, Mr. Ola Animashaun, a member of the Initiative on behalf of the Executive Director, Mr. David Ajayi noted that it’s a critical time in highlighting, addressing, and tackling plastic pollution as the global Covid-19 pandemic has added to the rise of single-use plastics including face masks, gloves, and food packaging.
Mr. Animashaun said, “We are currently facing a global plastic pollution crisis”.
“Consumer awareness of the plastic crisis is growing around the world. Consumers have a critical role in shaping the marketplace, and we must support them to mobilize businesses and governments, to ensure sustainable consumption is accessible to all”.
“Although, plastic can be a highly useful material in our everyday lives, our consumption and production of it has become unsustainable. Hence, this year theme ‘ Tackling Plastic Pollution’ is a follow-up to the focus for last year “Sustainable Consumption”.
Similarly, the Consumers Initiative quoted the Pew Charitable Trust and SYSTEMIC Report ‘ Breaking the plastic wave’ released in August 2020 suggests that the flow of plastic materials into the ocean will triple by 2040 if major innovations and changes in policy and behaviors do not occur”.
Mr. Animashaun further stressed that, “Now is a critical time in highlighting, addressing, and tackling plastic pollution as the global COVID-19 pandemic has added to the rise of single-use plastics including face masks, gloves, and food packaging”.
“As one of the global consumer movements, we stand to support consumers, to mobilize businesses, governments, and civil society to make tackling plastic pollution and sustainable consumption the easy choice for all”.
“There is no single solution to tackling plastic pollution so Consumer International created the 7 Rs Model of Waste Management; Replace, Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and
Repair to demonstrate different ways to combat plastic pollution”.
The Consumers Protection Agency in Ogun State however stated that by 2050, it is estimated that there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish.
An estimated 8 million tones of plastic enter the ocean annually.
Mr. Animashaun stressed out that single-use plastics account for about 50 percent of the plastic produced annually, while half of the plastic produced has been in the last 15 years.
He opined further that Forty percent of the plastics produced is for packaging and discarded after use.
“Consumer International therefore invites all of us to engage consumers, local businesses, civil society and policy makers in our countries to tackle plastic pollution together with great vigor. Collectively, we will build a global picture that will tackle plastic pollution”.
While stating what the Initiatives have been able to achieve in some parts of the world, Mr. Animashaun said that Canada on June 10, 2019 announced that in addition to banning single-use plastics, the government would also take other, unspecified steps to reduce plastic pollution. Canada is among 60 other countries has taken steps to reduce single-use plastics by imposing bans or taxes.
Consequently, the European Unions Parliament voted to ban the top ten single-use plastic items found on European beaches by 2021.
The EU also calls on member states to work out details of bans before the 2021 deadline. EU also called for 90% of the plastic bottles to be recycled by 2025.
Also, India also declared in 2018 that it would eliminate singled-use plastics by 2022, an ambitious plan for the worlds second most populous country, while Chile banned retail plastic bags and gave companies six months to phase out single-use plastic bags while small businesses were given 2years to do so.
Meanwhile Peru also announced that it would no longer allow visitors to carry single-use plastics into her 76 natural and cultural protected areas. The decree says the goal is replacing single-use plastics with reusable plastics or others whose degradation does not generate contamination by micro-plastics or dangerous substances.
Perus congress also passed a law to phase out single-use plastic bags across the country over a three-year period.
In United States of America, there was a resolution to use less plastics, and there was no optional for restaurants and other service businesses in Washington D.C. as of January 1, 2019 and by July, businesses would begin to receive fines if they continue to offer plastic straws.
Animashaun noted further that to keep plastic pollution from entering waterways, manufacturers either have to stop making plastics or its collected at the end of its life. But in most developing nations, waste collection infrastructure is insufficient or non-existent. Many countries here need to improve on plastic waste collection on the ground and create markets for the collected materials.
In conclusion, Animashaun said, the Consumer Protection Advocacy Initiative in the state used the opportunity to call on Community Associations, Civil Society Organizations, governments, producers, manufactures and researchers to rise to this challenge and save our country Nigeria from plastic pollution which is becoming one of the greatest environmental issues today. Our researchers should endeavour to find alternatives that are environment-friendly to outrightly phase-out the single-use plastics from our country.
On his part, the Executive Director of the Consumer Protection Advocacy Initiative in Ogun State, Mr. David Ajayi described that tackling plastic pollution as a world wide problem which should be given urgent attention, adding that Nigeria should not be left out but should be more concerned about the need for a free, safe and secured environment for the sake of humanity.
