By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Nigerian government has signed the project document for sustainable plastic waste management in the Federal Capital Territory and Lagos state.
This is to promote Sustainable Plastic Value Chain through Circular Economy Practices.
Findings on Nigeria Waste Consumption level revealed that the country’s waste generation would drive her to be the world’s largest producer of waste globally, especially, as it does not have a deliberate plan of action to reverse the development, Tribune reports.
The survey commissioned by the government of Japan in 2021 showed that Nigeria Consumption has grown from 578,000MT to 1,250,000MT with a Per capita consumption grown from 4kg to 6.5kg while each citizen consumed 7.5kg which accounted for 13% of total solid waste.
The report also “ranked Nigeria as 9th country having coastlines generating mismanaged plastic waste and was predicted that by 2025, Nigeria will be the largest producer of mismanaged plastic waste in Africa.”
Minister of State for Environment, Chief Sharon Ikeazor, said the projects which would be executed by the United Nations Development Office (UNIDO), Nigeria government through the ministry of environment would help to reverse the situation and promote a new industry.
According to Ikeazor, “You may recall that the Government of Japan funded a study on available sustainable alternative materials for plastic innovative packaging and recycling technologies that meet market needs in Africa, to reduce plastic leakages to the environment, in Nigeria.
“The study which was conducted in the year 2021 was implemented by UNIDO in collaboration with the Ministry.
“This project would therefore complement the efforts of our government in mainstreaming circular economy principles and practices into our National Development Plans.
“It is, therefore, my pleasure to sign the project document for the implementation of the project; “Promoting Sustainable Plastic Value Chain through Circular Economy Practices in the FCT and Lagos.”
His Excellency, Mr Mataunaga Kazuyoshi, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Federal Republic of Nigeria pointed out that plastic waste is a major global environmental problem as its huge production has drastically increased by more than twenty-folds between 1964 and 2015, with an annual output of 322 million metric tonnes, which is expected to double by 2035 and quadruple by 2050 if no action is taken.
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