The federal government of Nigeria has adopted appropriate measures, policies, legal ways and regulatory framework for support of circular waste management.
This was revealed as the Ministry of Environment on Monday in Abuja in its commemoration message on the World Environment Day, with the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”
The Permanent Secretary, of the Ministry of Environment, Ibrahim Yusufu Idris, said that this will ensure steady progress in the adoption and implementation of a circular economy in order to promote environmentally sound management of wastes.
Mr Idris said the entire global community are making efforts to address the challenges of waste and plastic pollution frontally as demonstrated by the ongoing global negotiations for the establishment of an international legally binding instrument on plastics pollution and the Global Waste Initiative 50 by 2050 that sets the ambition to recycle and treat at least 50% of waste produced in Africa by 2050.
The PM expressed that plastic has become an integral part of society due to its wide range of uses and economic benefits, saying that this has negative consequences to human health, natural ecosystems and the climate.
He lamented that Nigeria is not a stranger to the concerns over the increasing quantum of plastic waste in our environment from all manner of sources such as packaging/storage of food, drinks and beverages, shopping, among others.
The PM said “Nigeria litter the environment, block drainages resulting in flooding and also release toxic gasses when burnt or incinerated with devastating effects on our health and the environment.
” Nigeria is one of the countries with the fastest growing population in the world and produces enormous volumes of wastes as a result of her prevalent linear economy (extract-make-use-dispose) approach to production and consumption, where materials are used to manufacture products that last one lifespan before becoming waste.
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“This approach is particularly resource inefficient and contributes significantly to resource depletion and waste generation, hence, inimical to the achievement of sustainable development goals.
“It has therefore become imperative to adopt the circular economy model in which the productive use of resources is enhanced over time to promote sustainable development.
“This concept is gaining traction all over the world as a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible, thus extending the life cycle of products and generating wealth along the value addition chain.”
Listing the efforts made on the policies include: “on the economy, such as:National Policy on Solid Waste Management, National Policy on Plastic Waste Management, National Policy on Waste Battery Management, Implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).”
In the areas development and implementation of specialized programmes and projects that incorporate circular economy principles, such as: “Community based waste management programme that encompasses waste separation at source, recycling and composting.”
“Waste to wealth entrepreneurship programme for the empowerment of the most vulnerable groups especially youth and women to boost recycling activities.”
In his remarks, Tonia Uduimoh, Programmes Manager of Oando Foundation, said the foundation invested in educating over 500.000 pupils through initiative programs of global responses to environmental Sustainability.
He revealed that the Oando Foundation remains committed to designing and implementing multi dimensional education and an environment that supports schools curriculum.
