By Abbas Nazil
The House of Representatives has proposed a green tax on industries involved in polypropylene production as part of a wider effort to combat Nigeria’s escalating plastic pollution crisis and promote sustainable recycling practices.
The Ad-hoc Committee on Preparedness for Single-Use Plastics Ban in Nigeria announced the initiative during its inaugural meeting in Abuja, describing plastic pollution as an environmental emergency that demands urgent policy intervention.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Terseer Ugbor, said the move aims to hold industries accountable for the ecological costs of their operations while reducing the country’s reliance on non-biodegradable materials.
He noted that polypropylene, widely used in plastic manufacturing, poses severe environmental and health risks, releasing toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and benzene during production.
Ugbor emphasized that polypropylene waste can persist for up to 500 years in landfills, polluting oceans and endangering marine life.
He added that the committee will work with the Federal Ministry of Environment and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to design frameworks for the green tax and integrate recycling into national waste management programs.
The committee also plans to hold public hearings with manufacturers, recyclers, and environmental experts to ensure that the proposed policy is fair and effective.
Ugbor clarified that the initiative is not merely about taxation but about fostering responsibility and sustainability among industries.
Recent studies by the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reveal that Nigeria generates more than 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with less than 10 percent recycled.
Major cities including Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt face severe flooding and water contamination due to clogged drainage systems filled with plastic waste.
Nigeria is currently ranked among the top 20 contributors to marine plastic pollution globally, underscoring the urgency of legislative and industrial reforms to protect both the environment and public health.