The Lagos State Government has announced plans to ban the circulation of single-use plastics, such as PET bottles and sachet water, across the state starting in January 2025.
This follows the government’s earlier ban on styrofoam in all government establishments and across the metropolis in January 2024, prompted by the increasing prevalence of plastic waste and its negative impact on the environment in recent years.
Stakeholders in the sector have urged the state government to implement the ban in phases rather than enforce it outright, advocating for effective compliance while considering the current economic hardships.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this at a stakeholders’ workshop and awareness session on the ban’s implementation, held at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) House in Ikeja. Represented by the Special Adviser on The Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, Wahab explained that the ban is part of the state government’s efforts to establish policy guidelines for plastic usage to ensure sustainable management of plastic waste and a healthier environment.
Wahab noted that Lagos currently generates about 13,000 tonnes of waste monthly, with plastics constituting over 60 percent of that total. He emphasized that plastic waste materials significantly contribute to the solid waste problem, littering the metropolis.