Key stakeholders from various sectors have called for the adoption and production of biodegradable products for a sustainable environment.

The stakeholders, including the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, NASME, and NIMR made the call at a stakeholders’ forum on nose mask production from biodegradable polymers.

Others are the Nigeria Council for Disease Control, NCDC, Lagos State University, LASU, and National Biosafety Management, NBMA

The forum was organized by the Project Development and Design Department of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research in Lagos, FIIRO.

The stakeholders also emphasized the urgent need for increased investment in research and development to enhance various sectors of the economy.

In his remarks, the Deputy Director, Sanitation Services Department of Lagos State Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Omoyeni Balogun, said embracing eco-friendly products and utilizing local materials were essential steps in reducing the environmental impact of plastic wastes
and promoting sustainability.

Speaking on the theme, “Biodegradable Polymer: Pathway to a Greener Future,” Professor Abdulganiyu Raji, who was represented by Dr. B. Oyefeso of the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Resources at the University of Ibadan, explained the significance of bioplastics and biodegradable polymers.

He said:  “For a sustainable environment to be established and to eliminate the disposal of non-degradable plastic waste in the environment, a lot of attention has been diverted to the production of bioplastics and biodegradable polymers due to their biodegradability and eco-friendly nature.

“The alarming growth of global plastic production has escalated the public debate on the environmental crisis and its impact on public health.”